Shards of the Crystal
by D.J-S.C.Y
Summary: Jen and Kira are out on another adventure when a mysterious, dark person shatters the Crystal into 9 fragments.


The Shards of the Crystal

By D.J-S.C.Y

Chapter 1 

Another world... Another time... In the Age of Wonders.

The Crystal has healed. Its true light revealed. The evil that ruled this world has yield.

The two are made one. Good has been redone. A song is heard that was long unsung. 

Wrong has been made right. They overcame the dark might. Kira & Jen now make their world in its light,

THE CRYSTAL OF TRUTH.

Part 1 

A year & a half has passed since the healing of the Crystal. The forests have become fruitful and beautiful. The animals live in peace with each other. The podlings who were enslaved by the skeksis have returned to their homes, rebuilt their villages, raise their crops, and celebrate more merrily than ever. Kira & Jen live on the edge of the land of the Crystal Castle. Their home is a giant pod plant, just like the podlings live in. Kira is in the kitchen, preparing herbs and vegetables for lunch. Fizzgig is sitting on the floor & watching Kira with curiosity. He leaps on the table and sniffs at the prepared food.

Kira: "No Fizzgig! Doelay!"

Kira slams her hand between Fizzgig and the food. Fizzgig rolls back to the table's edge and whimpers.  
Kira: "This is not your lunch Fizzgig. It's for me and Jen. You have your own food over there. Doezba."

Fizzgig jumps off the table and hops to a corner with a bowl full off dried meat. He sniffs at it, looks up to Kira & Kira looks back at him.

Kira: "You have been eating that stuff for months now Fizzgig. Don't tell you're tired of it?"

Fizzgig: "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"  
Kira: "Oh alright. Here, have a taone root."

Kira gives Fizzgig a red carrot like root. Fizzgig yaps with glee, snatches the taone root from her hand, and nibbles on his gift. He makes a dissatisfied face, spits out the pieces, and yaps in disgust.

Kira: "Gosh Fizzgig, I thought you wanted something new."

Fizzgig rolls back to his bowl and eats the dried meat.

Jen's voice is heard outside the kitchen.

Jen: "I'm back Kira."

Kira: "I'm in here."

Jen enters the kitchen. Kira comes to him and kiss his cheek.

Kira: "How are things at Aughra's?"

Jen: "Her observatory is almost complete but Aughra complains how much she misses the gelfling builders. The podlings aren't much used to heavy construction."

Kira: "I should know the podlings. They are very hardy workers. You have seen how well they grow houses."

Jen: "Very true. Your mother Yrda taught me how to grow this house but pods can't grow big enough to become Aughra's Dome."

Fizzgig runs up to Jen's feet and happily Yaps at him.

Jen: "Well Fizzgig looks like you're glad to see me."

Fizzgig: "Bark! Bark! Bark!"

Kira: "He thinks you brought him something."

Jen: "Now that you mentioned it, I did. It's a command. Suvano Fizzgig!"

Fizzgig sadly behaves and returns to his meal. Kira gives Jen a satisfied look.

Kira: "You're learning Podling a lot faster than I did Jen."

Jen: "Maybe you're a better teacher than Yrda was."

The 2 gelflings laugh and kiss each other. Suddenly crying is heard from above.

Kira: "What? Already? It's so early."

Kira and Jen leave the kitchen, go up stairs, and enter a room with a table, a crib, and playpen in it. Inside the playpen is a baby girl gelfling. Inside the crib is a baby boy gelfling. Kira goes to the crib and picks up the baby.

Kira: "What wrong Biran did something wake you up?"

Kira feels something wet on her hand. She goes to the table and puts Biran down on it.

Kira: "I think someone in here needs a changing."

Jen crouches down in front of the baby girl. She is trying to stand while holding the wooden bars.

Jen: "You're getting better Dee. Soon you'll be able to walk and talk"  
Dee grabs Jen's nose and squeezes it. Jen giggles with amusement.  
Kira: "Jen, while I'm busy up here, could you go finish preparing our lunch? It's almost ready.

Jen: "Now that you mentioned it, I am kind of hungry."

Jen returns to the Kitchen to find Fizzgig eating the prepared food and enjoying it.

Jen: "Ooooohhh Kira!" 

Part 2

The next morning, Jen and Kira are sleeping in an oval shape bed. Kira wakes up first and goes down stairs to prepare breakfast & keeps a better vigil over Fizzgig who is sleeping in a small basket. Jen, later, comes down with Biran and Dee in his arms. Kira finishes preparing breakfast and sets it on the table. Jen sets Biran and Dee in two high chairs, opens a pantry, takes out 2 bottles with tubes in them, and feeds the babies with the bottles.

Kira: "Are you going back to Aughra's again?"

Jen: "Yes I am. She's working on a book about the history of the Crystal and our world. It tells of how Aughra, the Urskeks, and the gelfling first came to being. How the Urskeks themselves became the UrRu and Skeksis. It's also about you and me Kira"  
Kira: "It sounds very interesting. I like to see this new book. May I come with you Jen?"

Jen: "Well Kira, I was going to ask you that question"  
Kira smiles and eats her breakfast. Jen finishes feeding the babies and eats his breakfast. Fizzgig wakes up and sees Kira and Jen. He jumps out of the basket rolls over to Kira and tugs on her dress.  
Kira: "Good morning Fizzgig. Hungry for breakfast"  
Fizzgig: "Bark. Bark. Bark."

Kira: "Well, after what you did to our lunch yesterday I think you can hold out until dinner"  
Fizzgig sadly whimpers and goes back to his basket. Jen quietly giggles.

Later in the morning, outside their pod house, the 2 two gelflings are prepared to visit Aughra again. Kira's mother, who lives near by, has agreed to look after the babies while their parents are away. Kira & Jen walk in to the forest for a little while until that reach a clearing. Kira raises her hand to her mouth as if to call out.  
Jen: "Kira do you mind if I try it"  
Kira: "Well, I don't know. It a bit more harder than the other calls Jen."

Jen: "But you taught it to me and you said I'm a good student."

Kira: "And you said I am a good teacher. O.K. Jen give it a try."

Jen takes Kira's place and hold his hand to his mouth.

Jen: "Trrrrriiiillll. Trrrriiiillll. Click. Click. Trrrriiiillll."

Just then, 2 landstriders appear out of the forest and walk in to the clearing.

Jen: Stam-utame-mon, dozeba.

Kira smiles at Jen with satisfaction and delight.

Jen: "Stanyae. Stanyae. Trrrriiiilllll, dozeba."

Kira applauds Jen by clapping her hands. She goes up and hugs him.

Kira: "That was so good for your first time Jen"  
Jen and Kira mount the landstriders and ride off to Aughua's new dome.

Part 3

It is the middle of the afternoon. On Aughra's high hill, several podlings, wearing big beetle shells as helmets, are busy finishing the construction of the observatory. Aughra is looking on while the chief builder instructs his fellow workers. While the work continues Aughra is thinking to herself.

Aughra (in thought): "Not very strong but strong enough."

Aughra goes to a table and chair to sit down and thinks some more. She has a disappointed look on her face.

Aughra (in thought): "Not much time left. Soon I must return. Go back to where I came. So much to see still, to show tree and stone. To see gelfling race come again, to hear their song once more. Like it was before (sigh)."

A podling runs up to Augrua to speak to her.

Podling#1: "Dosa ammeenya Augrua. Yamanee orphra gelfling."

Aughrua: "What? Ah. What do you what podling? Wait, you say gelfling coming? Esanjay"  
Podling#1: "Eeya gelfling. Leemo Lomestreda.

Aughra: "Ah. Jen. Come again. Ha. Learn more from me wants does he? Humph. Better this way. Need to talk to someone about what I must do soon. (Sigh) not like it he won't.

Jen and Kira, riding the landstiders, come out of the forest and in to a valley. Aughra looks down, sees the gelfling, and waves at them. Jen and Kira see Aughra and wave back to her then they steer the landstriders to a path cutout spiraling up the hill. It takes a little while to reach the top and the landstriders aren't good at climbing steep hills but they make it without any delays. The gelflings dismount their ride and meet Aughra. Aughra: "Hello Jen. Come back for more learning yes?"

Jen: "Hello Aughra, I have come to learn more, and to help you with your new book."

Aughra: "Ah good. Could use 2 more hands I can. Hello Kira. Help you come also?"

Kira: "I still need some improvement in my writing but I'll do what I can." Aughra: "Ha. No need. You are welcomed as a guest. Come, my new home still not complete but livable it is"  
Aughra and the gelflings enter the observatory while the podlings work on.

Kira: "How is it that you got the podlings to help you make a new dome Aughra?" Aughra: "I didn't. Podlings want to give me a new home as a gift. As you know I stayed with them as their storyteller. Told history of the Crystal, how I came to being, about the gelfling, the coming of the urskeks, the division of uRru and skeksis, the Crystal cracked, the gelfling prophecy, and so on. I was greatly honored by the village elders. For my service they awarded me by making me a new home."

Kira: "That so great Aughra. I'm glad you made friends with my old clan.  
Aughra: "To say no I wanted to them. No need of a new home I do. Soon I must go back."

Kira: "Back? Go back to where?"

Aughra: "That is for me to tell Jen. Not like it he will."

While Kira and Aughra are talking, Jen is already waiting for them at Aughra's work bench. As Aughra walks ahead to catch up, Kira is puzzled by Aughra's last words.

Part 4 

In the late afternoon, the gelflings have left Augrua and are riding out to visit the gelfling ruins. Jen is a little concerned about what Aughra had told him.  
Kira: "Jen why are we going to the Houses of the Old Ones"  
Jen: "I wanted to explore that place some more before I started for home yesterday but time was getting short so I decided for today to go there. You don't mind do you Kira?"

Kira: "Not at all. I would love to go with you. I'm not afraid of the ruins like I used to be."

Jen: "Good, then let's go. Mofaetoo!  
Jen and Kiras'landstriders speed on to the Houses of the Old Ones until they reach the same small clearing the gelflings hidden in from the garthim raiders. Jen dismounts his landstrider and goes up to a rusty gate. Kira dismounts her landstrider and looks around while Jen has a hard time opening the gate.

Jen: "Kira, could you give me a hand? The gate is a little more harder to open than the last time.

Kira: "No wonder Jen. Try lifting it."

Jen uses Kira's advice and the gate opens with ease and he notices the gate's top hinge is broken apart. The 2 gelflings enter the court yard and Kira finds the throne she sat on.

Jen: "Aughra told me about the Queen who owned that throne. She said she was a friend of hers."

Kira: "Oh. Jen, how long are we going to stay here?"

Jen: "Until the dying sun is at the top of that wall. Oh, and that's where we found the Prophecy on the Wall of Destiny. Remember Kira?"

Kira: "It does remind me of how words can stay on walls and how Skeksil tried to temp us to come with him to the castle. Jen what is it that you looking for in here?"

Jen: "Augrua told me about a house with walls lined with shelves full of books and scrolls. She called it a library. If I can't find it before our time to leave, well, there's always tomorrow"  
Kira: "Well the dying sun is almost on the wall so let's look in the houses around us and quick."

Jen looks in the houses on the left and Kira looks in the houses on the right. When Jen looks into the 3'rd house he finds what he's looking for.

Jen: "Kira! I found the library!

Half an hour later, Jen has collected the books that interest him and Kira has gathered a few things she found interesting.

Kira: "You only collected 7 books and 3 scrolls Jen. The landstiders could carry more than that."

Jen: "Half of the dying sun is behind the wall and I can collect more books another time. The library isn't going anywhere is it?"

Kira chuckles at Jen's joke while he loads the stuff they found on the landstiders.

Part 5 

At the setting of the great sun, Jen and Kira are at home. Jen is sitting on a couch in a living room reading one of the books with keen interests. Kira is up stairs in the nursery, breastfeeding Biran while Dee is sound asleep. Jen puts a string between 2 pages as a bookmark, puts is on a desk and goes up stairs to the bedroom. Kira finishes feeding Biran and puts him in the crib.

Kira: "Good dreams Biran."

Biran falls sound asleep and Kira quietly leaves the nursery. She enters the bedroom to find Jen already clean, in sleep clothes, and in bed sleeping. Kira enters a wash room, bathes, puts on a sleep dress, and tucks herself to bed next to Jen. As she kisses him goodnight she notices a tear running down Jen's cheek.

Chapter 2

Part 1

Early in the morning, Kira is in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Jen comes down stairs and enters the kitchen, looking tired and sad then sits down at the table. Kira brings breakfast to the table and sits next to Jen.

Kira: "Did you sleep well Jen?"

Jen: "Well, no. I had a few nightmares."

Kira: "I notice that last night."

Jen: "What?"

Kira: "You were crying in your sleep. Your dreams must have been more sad than frightening."

Jen: "(Sigh) it's about Aughra. She told me something about what's happening to her."

Kira: "Something bad?"

Jen: "No, nothing like that at all, It something she has to do and doesn't want to do it but she has no choice. Aughra wants to..."

Kira: "Sshhhhh. It's okay Jen. Give me your hand."

Kira and Jen hold each others hand to dreamfast. Kira sees a vision of yesterday of their visit to Augrua. Kira is talking with some of the podling workers while Jen and Aughra are at a table reading a large book.

Jen: "This is great work Aughra. It tells about the world before the Crystal darkened."

Aughra: "Ha! That's only the 1'st chapter. Wait until I complete the rest of this book."

Jen: "Aughra, what does this phrase mean? 'Of the race of Aughra, I, Aughra, am alone, the first and last.'"

Aughra: "A riddle you think it is? The phrase says what I am. Not the last of my kind not the first of my kind. I'm the only one of my kind. More to read there is."

Jen: "The next one says: 'Born from the need for rocks and trees for an eye to see the world. The wind blew and the blind trees sang and roots twisted in the dark rocks and the roots sang and the rocks cracked and I was Aughra.'"

Aughra: "That just tells of my parents; the trees and rocks Jen. Blind they are. They live in the world, they feel the world, but they couldn't see the world. Then tree and rock joined together and the rock gave birth to me. They sent me to see for them, to hear for them, to talk for them, and to learn for them."

Jen: "I still don't understand but..."

Aughra: "Humph! Feel my hand."

Jen hesitates and feels Aughra's hand.

Jen: "It feels like stone."

Aughra: "Now feel my horn."

Jen reaches to touch one of the horns on Aughra's head.

Aughra: "Horn feels like bone?"

Jen: "No. "It feels like wood."

Aughra: "You understand now Jen?"

Jen: "Yes, a little."

Aughra: "Humph. You'll understand more, young gelfling. Much to learn you have. If only I had more time for it."

Jen: "What are you talking about Aughra?"

Aughra: "(Sigh) Listen well Jen. As I told you, I was born to be an eye for rocks and trees. Since then, they have seen everything in the world for thousands of years. They saw the gelfling, the podling, the urskeks, the urRu, the skeksies, the prophecy, you and Kira, and last the healing of the Dark Crystal. Now the rocks and trees believe they've seen all to be seen. They call for my return. I must go back to where I came. Back to the rock from which I was born from."

Jen: "Augra, what are you saying?"

Aughra: "(Sigh) What I must do is no different than what UrSu, your old master, had to do before you left to heal the Dark Crystal."

Jen: "Oh Aughra, you mean..."

Aughra: "No! No! No! I don't mean that. (Sigh) Look Jen. Late it will be. Podlings will return home to rest. Want to visit Old Ones' houses you do. Come back tomorrow and I'll explain better."

The vision fades as Kira lets go of Jen's hand to end the dreamfastening. She feels symphony for Jen.

Kira: "Oh Jen. I'm sorry."

Jen: "She is like my master, in place UrSu; wisest of the urRu. I just can't stand (choke). I... just... (sob) can't..."

Kira wraps her arms around Jen to comfort him but she is also heartbroken by the sad news of Aughra's presumed soon-to-be dying day. As Jen sobs with grief, Kira also sheds tears. Suddenly there is a loud, booming sound heard from outside in the distance. Just then the ground violently shakes and the pantry and cabinet doors swing open, letting food, bottles, bowels, plates, and utensils fall out. Biran and Dee are awakened by the violent disturbances and crying. Kira, Jen, and an awakened Fizzgig are scared out of their wits. As the loud noise and the earthquake subside there is a deep silence. Kira finally hears the babies cry and runs up stairs to help them. As Jen follows her he notices some of the furniture overturned. Kira enters the nursery and picks up the babies with her arms.

Kira: "There, there now. It's alright. It's all over. I'm here now. Ssshhhh."

Kira cuddles and kisses the babies to comfort them. Jen enters with a frighten look on his face.

Jen: "Kira. th-that loud sound. Did it s-sound like an ex-explosion?"

Kira: "What? Oh Jen. Here take Biran while I give Dee a changing."

Kira hands Biran to Jen and puts Dee on the changing table.

Kira: "What did you ask Jen?"

Jen: "Wh-What did that Noise s-sound like to you?"

Kira: "Oh. The sound, yes it did sound like an explosion. Is that what earthquakes sound like?" Jen: "Well, I think that was no earthquake."

Just then, Yrda's voice is heard from the living room.

Yrda: "Kira! Jen! Mooqae!

Kira runs downstairs to see Yrda, leaving Jen to finish Dee's changing.

Yrda: "Kira, dosa ammeenya"  
Kira: "I'm glad to see you to Mother. Are you alright?"

Yrda: "Yes Kira. There is some damage to my house but it is repairable. And you?"

Kira: "As you can see, just a cleanable mess mother."

Jen comes downstairs, entering the living room and approaches Kira and Yrda.

Jen: "I have to go to the castle. I think the explosion came from there." Kira: "Do you think something happened to the Crystal?"

Jen: "I don't know but I must check to see if it is alright."

Kira: "In that case may I come with you?" You are still upset about Aughra."

Jen: "I could use all the company I can get."

Kira: "Good. Mother would you mind our children for a while? Jen and I won't be gone long."

Yrda: "Yes I would love to look after my grandchildren again"  
Part 2 

Late morning, Jen and Kira are riding ladstriders again to the Castle of the Crystal. The fields and meadows are green and full of flowers with some trees standing among them. Some animals are scouring about and frolicking in the grass and around the trees. The gelflings are half way to their destination when they hear a distant voice behind them.

Jen: "Kira, what do you make of that?"

Kira: "I'm not quite sure but it sounds like..."

The voice grows louder as a figure appears in the distance. As it get closer Kira finally recognizes the voice.

Kira: "Aughra. Jen its Aughra."

Aughra is riding a landstrider, trying to catch up with the gelflings. As she reaches them there is a look of fear on her face.  
Aughra: "Kira! Jen! I heard it! I felt it! From the rocks, from the trees, from the land. Oooohhhh!"

Kira: "Aughra, calm down. What do you know about the earthquake?"

Aughra: "It wasn't just an earthquake Kira. I heard and felt the crystal's cry of pain and terror! Something has happened to the Crystal of Truth!"

Jen: "I was wondering if that earthquake had something to do with the Crystal. Let's go find out."

Jen, Kira, and Aughra ride off to the castle. At the Castle of the Crystal of Truth, the deep cracks that once surrounded the castle as a moat is filled and covered with gardens of flowers, trees, and exotic plants. A new entrance has taken place of the old root like draw bridge. Aughra and the gelflings arrive at the castle, dismount the landstriders, and walk up to the gate.

Jen: "Let's see. If I remember right..."

Jen places his hand on a ruby plaque and thinks of the gate opening. The doors of the gate slowly swing open.

Aughra: "Hurry! We must find out. See if Crystal of Truth is really alright. Hope I do."

The gelflings and Aughra enter though the gate and run up the corridors and halls. They pass some familiar places. The dinning hall, a garthim pit, Skektek's laboratory, the throne room, Emperor's bed chamber, and they finally reach the crystal chamber. Jen, Kira, and Aughra are horribly surprised to find the Crystal of Truth gone.

Aughra: "Nnnooo! It is true! The Crystal is no more! Ooooohhhhh!"

Jen: "That Crystal is the heart of our world. What happen to it? What are we going to do!"

Kira: "Alright! Alright. Calm down everyone. We need find out how and why the Crystal of Truth disappeared and to do that we need clues and ideas. Anybody got some?"

Jen: "Aughra, you said you felt the pain of the Crystal. What was pain like?"

Aughra: "It was like the pain of breaking apart."

There is a long pause then Jen speaks up.

Jen: "Let's look around for crystal fragments of any shape and size. Anything that is not part of the floor or wall."

The trio look for pieces of the crystal around the room. After a little while, Jen finds one.

Jen: "Kira! Aughra! Look at this!"

Kira and Aughra run up to Jen and sees the Crystal Shard in his hand.

Aughra: "Yes! The Shard. The one I gave you to heal the Dark Crystal."

Kira: "But it looks different. It has the same purplish color as the Dark Crystal did."

Then, an image appears in the shared: The Crystal of Truth is shining with a brilliant radiance of white light. A dark figure enters the crystal chamber and takes notice of the Crystal. Its black body seems to clash with the chamber's whiteness. The Figure approaches the Crystal and touches it. The Crystal turns from clear White to dark purple, to clear black, and suddenly explodes in to 9 pieces knocking the figure off it's feet. The pieces of crystal fly upward through the triangular sky window and scatter allover the horizons. The black figure picks himself up, looks at the empty fire shaft, and a menacing grin appears on his mouth. He turns to the corridor and disappears.

The Shard's images fade. Jen, Kira, and Aughra stare at the Shard with bewilderment.

Jen: "Well at least now we know what happen here."

Kira: "But what will we do now? I mean... Well... What's next? Just wait?"

Aughra: "No wait! Must put the Crystal back together, to save our world. This we must do."

Kira: "Well... Yes that good... But how do we find the pieces. I mean... They could be any where."

Jen: "We have one piece of the Crystal of Truth: The Crystal Shard."

Kira: "Yes, and now what? Will it show us where the other shards are?"

Jen: "Yes it should. It's part of the Crystal and I have an idea all its fragments are linked together."

Kira: "And you know how to find them with the Shard."

Jen: "No I don't."

Kira slowly bows her head and wanders the crystal chamber, trying to gather what's left of her hope and sanity.

Aughra: "Listen well Jen. If you have an idea, of how to use the Shard, to help us then uses it so, for we have no time for waiting."

Jen sits down on the floor, sets the Crystal Shard down, Takes out his forked flute from his pocket, and plays a double tone. The Shard begins to glow and an image of the Valley of the UrRu appears in it. In the middle of the valley there is a big chunk of crystal. As the image fades Jen and Aughra stare at the shard with renewed hope.

Aughra: "Yeeesssss! Now we must bring the second piece back to the castle. To Valley of UrRu we must go!"

Jen: "No one of us must stay to guard the castle while 2 of us are away. That dark person could come back again."

Kira has been overhearing and seen what Jen did with the Shard and starts to feel better.

Kira: "I will stay."

Aughra: "No. Let me. I am stronger. I am of rock and root. Tuff I am."

Jen: "Alright Aughra. Kira what do you want to do?"

Kira: "I could go back home to relieve Yrda of babysitting but I want to be with you Jen."

Jen: "That's good because I always wanted to show you the valley Kira."

Jen and Kira hug and kiss each other.

Chapter 3

Part 1 

The next day, Jen and Kira have arrived at Jen's old home the Valley of the UrRu. Kira is amazed of how far the valley stretches out. Jen leads Kira down the cliff to the spiral walkway and sees the 2'nd piece of the Crystal. Despite their joy of success the gelflings realize that the fragment is to big for them to carry.

Kira: "Well, we found it, now how do we carry it? Its even to big for the land striders"  
Jen looks around and sees a wooden wheelbarrow.  
Jen: "Well, there is the wheelbarrow Master UrAmaj the cook used to carry wood to the kitchen but I don't think it's strong enough to carry the big shard all the way to the castle"  
Jen and Kira go in to the courtyard to think of ideas to move the crystal fragment. They lean on one of the stones circling the ritual area. Just then, a light flashes in the middle of the valley and the gelflings shield their eyes from it. Next, SkekUng the Garthim-Master and UrIm the healer appear from the light. Jen: "Kira look! Its UrIm, one of the Mystics I told you about sometime ago.  
Kira: "But what is the general doing here Jen!" SkekUng and UrIm merge together and form into an urskek. Urskek: "Jen, do you know me? Do you recognize me?"

Jen: "Yes. To me you're UrIm the Healer and SkekUng was the evil half of yourself and together you are UngIm."

UngIm: "Yes gelfling. I am UngIm. I was sent by my fellow urskeks to tell you of what happened, what is now, and what must be done." 

Jen: "I already know that someone attacked and broken the Crystal of Truth and scattered the pieces all over the planet. I also know that without the Crystal the world will slowly whither and die. Lastly, Kira and I must find the crystal fragments, return them to the castle, and put them back together."

UngIm: "That is half of what I need to tell you Jen. There is more for you to know. Before my original 18 were cast out of our world, their was one urskek who followed his side of darkness. He caused many trouble and suffering in the urskek communities so the high leaders ordered him exiled for eternity. He wandered in the heavens for countless years searching for civilizations to make undone. During that time, I and my fellow 17 were exiled for our lack of choice to follow good or evil and came here to your world to learn of the difference between the 2 sides. Many mistakes we made in our progress including our misuse of the Crystal to pure ourselves from the evil within. After a thousand years we became one again by your hand Jen and left this world in order to prove our selves that, we finally made our choice, to our own world. Then the dark one learn about us, of your world and of the Crystal of Truth and he plotted to redo the evil we unwittingly done.

Jen: "So that is what happening. But why is he doing this? Besides he's following the side of evil and just for the pleasure of it."

UngIm: "That is what the other urskeks are trying to find out. My friends and I were sent back here to stop and arrest the dark urskek for the crimes he committed in all creation. When we came back to the uskeks' world they saw in us our times and experiences we had on this world Thra and saw the choice of good has been made as well. We were welcomed back into the societies of all urskeks but then it was heard that the dark one has found your world and attacked the Crystal. So the High Leaders sent us to back undo his evil and bring him back to justice."

Kira: "Does this renegade urskek know what me and Jen are doing now?"

UngIm: "I can not say I do Know what he Knows about you and Jen but I can tell you that he's currently exploring Thra, looking for any civilizations to torment."

Jen: "I still have so many questions but for now they'll have to wait. We need to move that crystal fragment back to the castle but it is to big for us to carry. Can you help us Ungim."

Ungim: "Yes Jen their is a way but first, do you have a smaller piece of the Crystal?"

Jen: "As a matter of fact, I do."

Jen takes out the Crystal Shard from his pocket and shows it to UngIm.

UngIm: "Yes, good, this is better. Touch the fragment with the Shard Jen. You will see what happens."

Jen goes to the crystal fragment and touches the Shard on it. The fragment grows smaller and disappears.

Jen: "What happened to it? Where did it go?"

UngIm: "That you will know when you find all the Fragments of the Crystal. Use the Shard as a guide to help you on your quest. I must go now to tell my friends what has been done here. We'll meet again back at the castle when all of the fragments have been found."

UngIm turns into a flash of light and disappears. Jen and Kira look at the spot where UngIm stood with amazement.

Kira: "Looks like we got our adventure cut out for us Jen."

Jen: "At least we're getting help from the urskeks. So let's go back to the castle and tell Aughra what happened."

Kira: "But Jen were you going to show me around this valley?"

Jen: "Well, O.K. but only for a short time." 

Part 2

The 2'nd next day, Kira and Jen are back at the Castle of the Crystal. They told every thing to Aughra about UngIm's arrival and what he told them about the dark urskek who broken the Crystal.

Aughra: "So then, a new enemy we have. An urskek with the heart of a skeksis but only more powerful."

Jen: "The urskeks we know have come back to help us with the dark urskek. There's only one of him against 8 urskeks. The odd are in our favor right?"

Aughra: "Never underestimate evil Jen. We know nothing of this new enemy. He maybe powerful than even I think."

Kira: "Could he be powerful than all the 8 urskeks put together?"

Aughra: "That is something only they would know."

Jen: "UngIm told us he would meet us here when Kira and I find all of the 9 fragments of the Crystal. So its time to start our journey now."

Jen takes the Shard and his flute out of his pocket, plays the same double tone on the flute and the image of a mountain appears. In a valley behind the mountain is a jungle of giant twisted trees. Underneath the trees is the 3'rd crystal fragment. the image fades away. Jen: "Aughra do you know where that mountain is?"

Aughra: "Know it well I should. Mount Keece-yek. A place only I visited a few times long ago. Skeksis heard of the mountain as well, from me. Told them it is full of rich minerals that I did. They wanted to strip the mountain of all it had, but it is to far for the slaves to go to and return from. Frustrated the skeksis were. Couldn't think up an idea to transport their mining slaves."

Jen: "You said the mountain is very far away. Aughra could the landstiders take us there within a day?"

Aughra: "No Jen. It will take a landstider 10 days to reach Keece-yek at it's fastest pace."

Jen: "How are we going to get the third piece then?"

Kira: "I think I have the answer. Let's go to the nearest balcony."

Jen, Kira, and Aughra exit the crystal chamber, cross a couple of corridors, and step onto a large balcony overseeing the land far as the eye can see. Kira cups her hands, puts them to her lips and makes a loud whistle.

Kira: "Wwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee,wwwwwwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee,wwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiieeeee!"

A pair of giant birds appear from the horizon. They have long legs, long tail feathers, broad wings, long necks,  
long beaks, and 2 long horns in the back of their heads.

Jen: "Kira. What are they?"

Kira: "Leevro. They only come around the swamp once in a while but I've managed to get along with them."

Aughra: "Yeess! I know the leevro to. Swift they are in the sky. Reach distant places far away in only 2 days the leevro can."

The leevros approach the castle and circle it, spiraling gracefully down, and land at the castle entrance. Kira, Jen, and Aughra race down to down to meet the leevro.

Jen: "You never told me about creatures like these Kira."

Kira: "I wanted to show them to you at the right time. The Leevro are migrating birds and they rarely stop at the same place."

Kira approaches one of the leevro and affectionly pets it's beak.

Kira: "Aatrrrrriiiioooo, aatrrrriiiooo, aatrrriiiiiioooooo."

Leevro#1: Trrrrrruuuuoooo."

Chapter 4

Part 1 

Jen and Kira have been flying to Mount Keece-yek for 2 days. They have never traveled so far from their home. The gelflings have seen many fantastic sights on their journey. Although the leevro are fast birds Kira isn't bothered much of the high knots. Jen, on the other hand, is clinging on his leevro for dear life. Finally the mountain appears in the horizon. As they get nearer, Jen and Kira slow their mounts down to a gentler speed. Jen relaxes his grip on his leevro and steers closer to Kira's.

Jen: "Kira how is it your not so afraid of flying that fast! These leevros were flying at a speed that could of yanked us right off!"

Kira: "Don't worry Jen the leevro are very careful of it's passengers! They sometimes carry their eggs with them when migrating! I also used to ride on a leevro some time ago before even you and I first met!"

Jen: "How many times did you ride it!"

Kira: "This is my 2'nd!" 

As the leevro fly at a lower altitude, 2 brown, black birds appear out of a nearby cloud and follow the leevro. Jen turns his head a sees the 2 new birds behind him.

Jen: "Kira what are they?"

Kira turns her head and sees what Jen is asking about."

Kira: "I don't know Jen. I've never seen anything like them. But they don't look friendly."

One of the black birds swoops down ,buzzing the leevro. Kira's leevro dives at the black bird and strikes it with its beak, killing the black bird. Jen's leevro is being chased by the second black bird. He ducks as the black bird rakes it's claws at him and his leevro. Jen: "Kira! Help me! Kira!"

Kira sees Jen in trouble and steers her leevro to help him. The black bird grabs Jen's leevro by the head and crushes it. Kira's leevro harpoons the second black bird with it's beak and kills it. Jen's leevro dies and glides down to the mountain side with Jen holding for dear life again. Jen takes hold of the dead leevro's horns and steers away from the mountain to a clear field in a deserted valley. The leevro's body skids on the ground and comes to a dead stop, throwing Jen off in the air and he hits the ground. Jen tries to lift himself up but he falls into a dead faint. A few minutes later 4 figures appear from the distance of Mount Keece-yek. They look a little like gelflings but mutated. The first one has 2 extra arms and legs. The second has 3 eyes. The Third has a very skinny body with a long neck. The forth has 2 faces. The four mutants approach the dead leevro and find Jen, unconscious. The 2'nd mutant kneels down to examine him.

1'st mutant: "Is he alive?"

2'nd mutant: "He is but very weak. He's been though a bad ordeal."

3'rd mutant: "Look at his face. He's gelfling like us."

4'th mutant: "No, not like us. His body is normal."

1'st mutant: "Let's take him back. He needs help."

2'nd mutant: "What can we do for him?"

3'rd mutant: "We can't just leave him here."

4'th mutant: "Our chief will know what to do with him."

The 1'st mutant picks up Jen and carries him, in his four arms, back to Keece-yek while the other 3 mutants follow him. Meanwhile, over the mountain, Kira is circling the deserted valley looking for any sign of Jen.

Kira: "Jen! Jen where are you! Can you here me! Jen!"

Part 2

Jen is lying, unconscious, in a bed in a hut. A female gelfling mutant is looking after him. Outside the hut is a village, populated by mutants, in the middle of the jungle. A mutant with one eye and 2 mouths is talking with the mutants who found Jen.

5'th mutant: "Are you sure he's a normal gelfling Roocask?"

Roosask: "There is no doubt he's normal Laevoar. His body is as our's used to be. Kunder, Toan, and Akiro knows this as well."

Laevoar: "How was he dressed?"

Kunder: "His clothes are not like that of gelfling culture. More like the urRu."

Laevoar: "Kunder, this is a serious situation. Jest with me at a better time."

Akiro: "Kunder is not jesting with you Laevoar. The gelfling is at my cousin's hut. We had to take him there because he was badly hurt. Come, we will show you."

Laevoar follows the 4 mutants to the hut. Meanwhile, inside the hut, Jen is coming out of his unconsciousness. He looks around and sees the female mutant. She has 4 legs and no mouth.

Jen: "Who are... where am... what is..."

The female mutant turns and sees Jen awake. Laevoar and the 4 mutants enter. Jen sees the 4 mutants with fright.

Akiro: "This is him. As we said we found him in the Dry valley.

Laevoar: "I see and you said he was injured. It looks like he's a little better."

The female mutant give a sign that Jen's injuries were not as bad as they thought.

Laevoar: "I see. In that case he should be fit for our chief to see him. That is, if he can talk."

Laevoar approaches Jen a little. Jen sees, that despite his malforms, Laevoar looks like a gelfling.

Jen: "You, gelfling, like me?"

Laevoar: "So you can talk gelfling. My name is Laevoar you're in the valley of Keece-yek mountain. Now that you are awake and well, our chief will want to talk to you. What is your name?"

Jen: "Jen. My name is Jen."

Leavoar: "Come Jen, the chief is waiting."

Jen tries to get out of bed but he feels dizzy and drops to the floor on his knees. The female mutant goes to him and hands him a cup full of purple liquid. Jen hesitates, then taste the drink and finds that its good. He drinks the rest of it and feels some of his strength return.

Leavoar: "Come."

Jen follows the 5 mutants to a hut much larger than the others. As they enter it the big hut has six other mutants inside. The sixth has 4 eyes and 2 ears, the seventh has four forearms and no face, the eighth's arms reaches to his feet, the ninth is a female and has four breasts, the tenth's lefts limbs are bigger than his right limbs, and the eleventh is the chief and has three heads.

11th mutant: "Did you find out what and who he is Leavroar?"

Leavoar: "Yes Chief Harkuun. He is definitely a gelfling and he says his name is Jen."

Chief Harkuun: "Jen, you must understand that we have thousands of questions for you and some will be hard to answer. Never the less we need to know where you come from and what and why are you here."

Jen: "Well, I guess my life story is in order."

Chief Harkuun: "Such stories are long and take time to reach the end. Very well then, we will hear your story but only though a mental process called dreamfastning. Do you know what that is Jen?"

Jen: "Yes I do."

Chief Harkuun: "Then let us proceed."

Jen and the mutants join hands and images of memories flood Jen's mind. Jen sees the castle as it was before the Crystal was healed, he sees the skeksis in power of the world and the Dark Crystal, and he sees Skektek the scientist working in his laboratory called the Chamber of Life. Inside the lab are a row of 6 mutated gelflings. Skeksil the chamberlain enters the lab a goes to Skektek.

Skeksil: "Mmmmmmmmmwwmmmmmmmmmmmm."

Skektek: "Ahh! What? Oh, Lord Chamberlain. What do you want?"

Skeksil: "Mmmmmmmm our lord and sire, the Emperor wants to know of your progress with the new slaves."

Skektek: "Ha! Can't you see? There already waiting there for their assignments."

Skektek points to a line of twenty podling slave in a double line.

Skektek: "You can tell Emperor Skekso and Skekna if they what them, just come down and get them."

Skeksil: "Mmmmmmmm nicely done scientist but Skekna says we're running short of gelfling slaves."

Skektek: "I know! I know! We always run short of gelflings but I found a way to solve that problem. Look there Chamberlain and see for yourself."

Skektek points Skeksil to the mutant gelflings.

Skeksil: "Mmmmmmmm a very interesting breed of gelfling Skektek. Where did you find them?"

Skektek: "I didn't find them, I created them. From a process I call Genetics."

Skeksil: "Genetics? What is that?"

Skektek: "The study of the cell structure. What I did is I took a few cells from some gelflings and rearranged the genes in the cells and injected them in selected gelflings and the results are the mutants, before you."

Skeksil: "Well ,Skektek that's very interesting but how will these mutants solve our slave shortage problems?"

Skektek: "A normal gelfling can do only so much work until it's labored to death but a gelfling with 4 arms can work twice as fast. a gelfling is so small it can only run as fast as it's legs will allow it. but a tall gelfling will run fast enough to get our messages delivered on time. Only female gelflings have wings but what if both sexes had wings? Our male workers won't half to fall off ladders when reaching high ceilings that need repair."

Skeksil: "Mmmmmmmm an interesting idea that should be brought to Skekso. I shall present it to him if you like good scientist"

Skektek: "But of course lord chamberlain."

The 2 skeksis bow to each other and Skeksil leaves the laboratory. Skektek goes to a work bench, picks up a syringe, and goes over to a girl gelfling who is strapped to a chair.

Skektek: "You're next little gelfling."

The girl screams as Skektek stabs the syringe's needle in her arm. The images fade away from Jen's mind as the dreamfastning ends. Jen has the look of dismay and regret on his face.

Part 3

Kira and her leevro have landed in the deserted valley and found Jen's dead leevro.

Kira: "Oh Jen please be alright."

As Kira looks around for any sign of Jen she finds an imprint of someone lying down in the dirt and finds 4 rows of footprints leading to Keece-yek mountain.

Kira: "Who or what they are I hope Jen is safe with them."

Kira instructs her leevro to fly over the mountain to watch for any trouble. The leevro takes off and flies to the mountain while Kira walks to it. Back at the village of the gelfling mutants Jen is talking to Chief Harkuun.

Chief Harkuun: "As you may Know Jen, what Skektek did to us, happened 10 years before the prophecy and the massacre."

Jen: "Aughra never told me of you and the gelfling mutants."

Harkuun: "Aughra knew about us when she learned of what Sektek was doing. But she never learned of how we escaped the massacre."

Jen: "How did you escape?"

Chief Harkuun: "During a mass production of mutant slave making, Skektek found a flaw in us. He learned that our essence, the main resource in making youth potions, was tainted with our altered genes. If Emperor Skekso dranked the essence of a gelfling mutant he would of died or became like us. Thus Skekso ordered the halt of mutant making and had us thrown into the catacombs underneath the castle. There we made our way out through the Teeth of Skreesh and fled from the castle to Mount Keece-yek. Here we made a new life."

Jen: "I understand now. I always thought Kira and I were the only ones left, that it was up to us to repopulate our race."

Chief Harkuun: "Jen, just as you now know of our past we know of yours. How you were rescued by the urRu from the garthim raids. How you were raised in their valley and of your mission to heal the Dark Crystal. How you met Aughra and Kira and your flight from the garthim raids of the Observatory and the podling village. How you found the Wall of Destiny and your journey to the castle. How Kira sacrificed herself to help you heal the Dark Crystal. How the 2 were made one again and the urskeks restoring Kira to you. All this we learned through dreamfastning. Now the Crystal of Truth is once again damaged and scattered and now you have a new quest to find and restore them together. A quest you can not do alone."

Jen: "Are you offering help to me?"

Chief Harkuun: "Yes Jen. There are some in the village who know their way in the Tallter Valley jungle. That's where the 3'rd fragment of the Crystal is."

Jen smiles as his sense of hope grows stronger.

Chief Harkuun: "Leavoar, I have selected you to guide Jen though Tallter's jungle until you reach his goal."

Leavoar: "As you say Chief Harkuun."

Leavoar and Jen leave the big hut and head off to Tallter Valley. A few minutes later Roosack enters with a breaking news.

Roosack: "Chief Harkuun, my friends and I have found another gelfling normal."

Part 4

Jen and Leavoar have entered the jungle. Leavoar leads Jen up some huge tree branches thick enough to walk on. Jen looks around the jungle enjoying the view.

Leavoar: "We must be careful Jen. There are many dangerous beast here."

Jen: "Leavoar what were you before? When the garthim took you away as a slave I mean."

Leavoar: "I was very young when the garthim raided my hometown. I think my father was a shaper of wood and metal"  
Jen: "Do you ever wish you had your normal shape back?"

Leavoar: "There are many who do Jen. But we learned to accept who we are and to use what we now have. Some believe that we'll have our own shapes back when the Crystal is healed. Now that it has, who knows what will be for us mutants."

Jen: "I wish there was some way I can help. Maybe the Crystal of Truth can give back you own bodies when its put back together."

Leavoar: "Maybe Jen. Skektek used the Dark Crystal to malform us just as he used it to make slaves and youth potions."

As Jen and Leavoar trek further in the jungle a screech is heard in the distance. Jen and Leavoar look up to see a brown, black bird.

Leavoar: "Quick Jen! Get down!"

Leavoar and Jen climb down a tree and hide underneath a low branch.

Jen: "That's the same kind of bird that attack me and killed my leevro."

Leavoar: "It's called a Seakzat. They prey upon leevros and the leevros fight back at them. Cold blooded mortal enemies they are to each other."

Jen: "What is that seakzat doing here?"

Leavoar: "Sometimes they come to hunt, mate, and lay their eggs. The seakzat haven't come to our village yet but you'll never know when that will happen."

The seakzat circles the jungle and heads off for the horizon. Jen and Leavoar emerge from their hiding place.

Leavoar: "We can proceed but don't let your guard down Jen." Jen and Leavoar climb back up the trees and look for the 3'rd crystal fragment.

One hour has passed since Jen and Leavoar entered the jungle and Jen finally sees what he's been looking for.

Jen: "Leavoar look. It's the 3'rd Crystal Fragment. At last we found it."

Leavoar: "This is good Jen. It Look big enough for both of us to carry it back to the village."

Jen: "I don't think that will be necessary Leavoar. One of the urskeks showed me what to do."

Just then, a huge, hairy, ape like beast leaps out of the jungle and rushes between Jen, Leavoar, and the Crystal fragment. The beast stands up on its hind legs and makes loud threatning roars.

Jen: "What is that Leavoar?"

Leavoar: "It's a mungaegruo. It's a fierce, carnivorous, territorial monster."

Mungaegruo: "Rrrraaaaauuuuggg! Rrrraaaauuugggg!"

Leavoar: "Quick Jen. I'll distract the animal while you get to the fragment."

Jen: "No Leavoar. What if that thing will get you?"

Leavoar: "Do as I say Jen!"

Leavoar picks up a stone and throws it at the mungaegruo's face. The mungaegruo becomes angry and chases after Leavoar in the jungle. As the chase goes on Leavoar looks desperately for a large, hard stick to use as a club against the mugaegruo. The mugaegruo catch Leavoar by the leg and bites him in the left arm.

Leavoar: "Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaahh!"

Suddenly, a small stone flies from the foliage and hit the mugaegruo in the eye, making it scream with pain and run away. As Leavoar groans from his wound he looks up to see his benefactor. Meanwhile, Jen is about to touch the 3'rd fragment with the Crystal Shard when another mugaegruo emerges from the jungle and surprises Jen.

Jen: "Oh no. Leavoar! Help me! Where are you!"

Jen backs away as the 2'nd mugaegruo gets closer to him. Just then a loud screeching noise is heard. The mugaegruo looks up at the sky, whimpers in fear, and runs back into the jungle. Jen looks up too but there is no sign of a seakzat.

Jen: "I know that was the cry of a seakzat but where is it?"

Kira's voice: "That was me Jen."

Jen spins and sees Kira and Leavoar with Kunder, Akiro, Toan, and Roocask. Jen and Kira run up and embrace each other, with a long kiss.

Kira: "Ohh Jen (sob) I was so worried. You're not hurt are you?"

Jen: "Yes I am. I missed you Kira."

Jen and Kira embrace again with another long kiss then finally let go of each other so Jen can get the 3'rd fragment. Jen touches it with the Shard and just like the 2'nd fragment, the 3'rd fragment shrinks and disappears. Suddenly, a bright light flashes where the 3'rd fragment used to be and SkekSil the Chamberlain and UrsSol the Chanter appear from it. They merge to form SilSol the urskek.

SilSol: "Well done Jen. You collected the 3'rd fragment of the Crystal."

Jen: "You were watching Me and Kira"  
SilSol: "All of the 8 are watching you Jen. Ready to help you when we see you in need. Coming to advise you for the next piece of the Crystal. You have found the third and now you will search for the fourth. A task much more difficult than the last one."

Jen: "What are the dangers now and what must I do?"

SilSol: "What you must do as you did before. As you did to heal the Dark Crystal, as you did when you found the first fragment; the Crystal Shard, as you did when you collected the second fragment. Use your logic and wisdom Jen."

Jen: "I understand a little but I'll take your advice."

SilSol: "Very well Jen. Now I must speak with your new friends."

SilSol goes to Leavoar. This is the first time Leavoar has ever seen an urskek.

SilSol: "Leavoar. Do you know what I am?"

Leavoar: "I have heard many stories about the urskeks but I never thought I would see one."

SilSol: "Yes Leavoar. I am the urskek who was both the Chamberlain and the Chanter. As Skeksil it was I who asked approval for the scientist to make genetic altered slaves so I am partly to blame for your deformity. You see Leavoar I am ashamed for what happened to you and your people and I wish to make amends as all of my fellow uskeks do."

Leavoar: "Well, I understand of your shame and your wish to make what right but what can you do?"

SilSol: "It's not what I can do but what the Crystal of Truth can do. Just as the Dark Crystal had the power to deform your bodies, the Crystal of Truth can restore your true form."

Leavoar: "Is what you are saying is true? We can go back to what we were?"

SilSol: "It is true as I say."

Roosack: "This is something that must be told to everyone in the village."

Leavoar: "It will be told Roosack. Let's go."

Roosack: "I can't Leavoar. I'm going with Jen and Kira."

Leavoar: "What? Roosack, I may be in a good mood now but lets jest when we get back."

Kunder: "This is no Jest Leavoar. We found Kira at the edge of our village and brought her to Chief Harkuun to confirm she is Jen's companion. When we realized her story confirmed with Jen's some of us volunteered to go with them on their quest. Chief Harkuun had us draw straws to the shortest and Roosack drew that one straw."

Akiro: "The Chief made us vow under the Oath of Kierie-talya; a bond of promising that could never be broken."

Leavoar: "Roosack do really want to go with the gelflings?"

Roosack: "I was one of them who volunteered. I do want to go with them Leavoar."

Leavoar: "Very well then. You will be sorely missed Roosack."

SilSol: "I will go with you to your village. I want to help you explain what happened here Leavoar."

Up in the sky the 3 suns shine a little brighter.

Chapter 5

Part 1

2 more days have passed since Jen found the third fragment. Jen, Kira, and Roosack are now on a quest for the fourth fragment of the Crystal of Truth. Kira has summoned two new leevros. one for Jen to replace the one that got killed and one for Roosack but he has never flown before. Jen is a little more comfortable with Leevro riding but Roosack is hanging on for his life with all four arms. Jen sees Roosack's dilemma and steers his leevro a little closer to talk to him.

Jen: "How are you doing Roosack! Are you okay!"

Roosack: "You said the leevro are very fast creatures but you didn't say their speed could rip you off of them!"

Jen" Don't worry Roosack it just takes a little time to get use to them! It was the same for me the first time!"

Roosack: "How long have you been riding these birds Jen!"

Jen: "This is my second time!"

Kira steers her leevro to get a little closer to Jen and Roosack.

Kira: "Jen how much further is it to the Leesgaok Mountain Range!"

Jen: "It Like what the Shard showed us before Kira, two days like the last time! We should see it on the horizon any moment now!"

Kira: "Roosack, have any of your people traveled this far before!"

Roosack: "No Kira! We sent scouts to patrol around the lands as far as the eye can see but this place is new to me!"

Kira: "What do your people now about the Leesgaok Mountain Range, Roosack!"

Roosack: "Very few know about it. Mostly the village elders. They tell many stories about that place. Some say before the skeksis cracked the Crystal the valleys around the range were lush with forest, tropical jungles, fertile fields, rainforests, and all the animals were gentle and friendly including the predators. Other stories tell that the mountain range is haunted with the lost souls of the gelflings who were victims of the garthims' slaughter attacks. There is a few stories about gelfling survivors who escaped the massacres of their tribes and fled to Leesgaok for sanctuary from the skeksis."

Jen: "Kira, Roosack, look we're almost there at Leesgaok."

The Leesgoak Mountain Range emerges from the horizon. The three gelflings slowdown their leevros a little to lower their altitude. Just then, the Kira's leevro begins to act up a little.

Kira's Leevro: "Trrrrrrrrooooooooowwwwwllllllloooooo"  
Kira: "Easy now. Dozzba suvano!"

Jen: "Kira what wrong?"

Kira: "There's something bothering my leevro. She could be hungry."

Jen: "In that case, let's land and rest a bit."

Suddenly, Kira's leevro jerks its head and flies away with Kira.

Kira: "Stanyae! Stanyae! Doelay!"

Jen and Roosack see Kira's plight and go after her to help. Kira sees Jen closing in to rescue her. They reaches out her hands to grab each others as to pull Kira off her leevro and on to Jen's. Kira's leevro is flying so fast that Jen can barely catch up to her. In an act of desperation, Kira opens her wings through a slit in the back of her tunic and jumps off her leevro. Jen becomes surprised and shocked as to wondering why Kira would do such a thing and then realizes she is slowly gliding down and is expecting him to pick her up. Jen dives his leevro, flies below Kira, and she safely lands behind Jen.

Jen: "Are you alright Kira?"

Kira: "I'm a little shaken but I am O.K."

Jen: "Then don't do that again. Next to Roosack's people, you and I are the last of our kind."

Kira: "There's still Biran and Dee."

Jen: "Well I hate to raise them alone."

Roosack catches up to Kira and Jen and points to what he has found.

Roosack: "Jen, Kira, look. That's what made your leevro go crazy Kira."

Jen and Kira see a flock of leevros.  
Kira: "That must be her flock. Leevros sometimes migrate in flocks."

Jen: "But why didn't Roosack's leevro and mine go with your leevro to them?"

Kira: "That I don't understand either."

Roosack: "Five Leevros just left the flock and they're heading for us."

Jen: "What do they want?"

Kira: "Maybe they think our leevros are attacking. Let's give them a wide birth and head for the mountain range."

Jen and Roosack steer away from the leevro flock but the 5 leevros still pursue them.

Roosack: "They're still following us. You think we made them angry?"

Kira: "I think they want to check us. Let them get closer and I'll try to communicate with them."

As the 5 leevros get closer Kira notices they are being ridden by gelflings.

Kira: "Jen! Roosack! Look!"

Jen: "I see them Kira. They're gelflings!"

Roosack: "The few stories are true. There is a gelfling sanctuary!"

The five gelfling leevro riders overtake the three gelflings and surround them. A orange-red headed female gelfling, who is the leader of the five, points to Jen and signals him to land. Jen tells Kira and Roosack to do as he does and they land in a field not far from Leesgaok. The 5 gelflings are wearing dark red uniforms with padded leather vests, laced leggings, and forearm bands. The leader and her fellow riders dismount and approach the three gelflings and give Jen a stern stare.

Leader: "Who are you? What were you doing this far from the Leesgaok Sanctuary?"

Jen hesitates then answers.

Jen: "You, Gelfling, like us?"

Leader: "You've chosen a bad time to jest with the Sky Guard fool. I am Dianon, captain of the Sky Guard and you should know very well that flying beyond the skies of the sanctuary is very foolish without an escort."

Jen: "But... We're not... I mean..."

Kira interrupts and steps forward in Jen's defense.

Kira: "Please forgive us. We didn't mean to go beyond the safety of Leesgaok. We were simply flying to see an old friend who live on the other side of the mountain range when my leevro got excited and carried me away..."

Dianon: "Enough! Save your story for your province elder. My job is to take you back to Leegoak. You may come with us freely or we can bind you to your leevros and tow them behind us."

Kira: "We will cause you no trouble Dianon."

Dianon: "Captain Dianon! What is your name?"

Kira: "Kira."

Dianon: "What?"

Kira: "My name is Kira. This is Jen and Roosack."

Dianon looks at Jen then looks at Roosack and notices his extra limbs. She's confused by this but knows what to do.

Dianon: "My flyers and I will follow you back to Leesgoak to keep an eye on you."

The eight gelflings mount up their leevros and fly off to the Leesgaok Mountain Range.

Part 2

Two hours have passed since Jen, Kira, and Roosack have been captured by the Leesgaok Sky Guard. They have been brought to a fortified gelfling town that is populated by several gelflings. Some have the same light tan skin color as Jen. Some have small brown spots on their faces, arms or legs like Kira's. Some have light pale blue skin. Some have eyebrows, beards or muchdaces. Some have light pale yellow skin and slanted eyes. Jen notices the different variations of gelflings but they are dressed of the same gelfling styles in culture; toeless boots, flowing capes and hooded cloaks, long sleeved tunics with pointed cuffs, plaid trousers, flowing skirts and gowns. Jen also notices that the buildings and houses are almost the same as the ones in the gelfling ruins back home.  
Jen: "I've seen pictures of structures like these in the books I collected from the ruins."

Kira: "I understand how you feel but remember Jen, we're prisoners of our own people and we know little of them as they do of us"  
Roosack: "Although we didn't treated you 2 as such, both of you were our prisoners because my people didn't know you at all until now." Jen: "Now that you mentioned it Roosack Chief Harkuun gave me a gentle trial."

Roosack: "My people have always followed the ancient gelfling laws of fair and gentle trials for the wrong doers. Let us hope these gelflings do the same"  
Dianon leads the three gelflings to a building that is bigger than the others. They enter the building and go in to a room with five old gelflings inside.

Dianon: "Elders of Keesgoak Sanctuary. I have brought 3 flyers, caught outside of the flight zone. They claim it was an accident but I sense a deception."

Elder 1: "Dianon, you know very well that the leevro are still wild animals and only a few of us know how to master all animal languages. You and the Sky Guard are some of that few. How did these 3 master such wild birds?"

Elder 2: "Civilian gelflings can only fly the leevro only with good reason and permission from us, the province rulers, and you Captain Dianon. Do you know if these three gelflings have gained such?"

The third elder gelfling point to Jen.

Elder 3: "Why does your vest and tunic have spiral runic patterns on them young one? Are you some kind of academic?"

Jen: "Well... Yes I am, but..."

Elder 4: "Who are you and your companions?"

Jen: "My name is Jen. This is Kira and Roosack. We come from..."

Elder 5: "Save that answer. We will ask of your origins later."

The fifth elder turns to Kira.

Elder 5: "That is your name, Kira?"

Kira: "Yes it is."

Elder 5: "How did you get a podling name?"

Kira: "My foster mother gave me that name. I was raised in a podling village."

The five elders look at the three gelflings with confusion and curiosity. The first elder turns to Roosack and sees his extra limbs.

Elder 1: "Your name is Roosack?"

Roosack: "Yes elder."

Elder 1: "Where did you get those extra arms and legs?"

Roosack: "The skeksis gave them to me when I was a slave in the castle."

The gelfling elders become astonished by Roosack's answer.

Elder 2: "Were you born with extra limbs?"

Roosack: "Before I was a slave my body was no different than yours. Then the garthim came and raided my hometown, took several of us to the castle, and Skektek the scientist drain most of us of our essence to make the youth potions. But he kept some gelfling for his cruel experiments. One kind of experiment was called genetics."

The gelfling elders become surprised at Roosack's story and whisper to each other. Then they turn to Roosack and hold out their hands.

Elder 3: "The hour will soon grow late and there is still so many questions. To answer them all you must dreamfast with us. Are you willing to do this Roosack?"

Roosack: "Yes, it is the way of my people as well. I will do this only if you let Kira and Jen dreamfast with us too for they're life stories can answer all you questions as well."

Elder 4: " You 3 need to do this one at a time. Multideamfasting may be quicker but it gets more complicated when more gelflings get involved. Knowledge and wisdom could get scattered or mixed up if you take my meaning."

Roosack agrees with the gelfling elders and they join hands. The elders see Roosack's life from the castle to Kees-yek as he sees the beginning of the Leesgaok Sanctuary. Kira take the second turn and the elders sees Kira's life in the podling village as she sees how the gelfling survivors came to Leesgaok. Jen takes the last turn and the elders see Jen's life with the urRu, his quest for the Crystal Shard, his meeting with Aughra and Kira, his journey to the castle and the healing of the Dark Crystal. Jen sees what gelfling life was like before the skeksis tried to kill them all. The gelfling elders stare at Jen with bewilderment. The first elder goes to Jen and places his hands on Jen's shoulders.

Elder 1:"The prophecy has come to pass. By gelfling hand, the 2 are made 1. What was sundered has been made redone.  
The song that was made silent is now resung."

Elder 2:"Let the word spread to all gelflings. Our saviors over came the skeksis might. They made wrong to right. The triple sun single shines the new light."

Elder 3: "The skeksis's rule has yield when the Crystal was healed. It's true light has now been revealed."

Elder 4 & Elder 5: "Praise our saviors, Jen and Kira, for they have turn the Crystal of Darkness back in to the Crystal of Truth!"

The elders, Dianon, and other gelflings cheer for Jen and Kira. The two gelflings try to hide their feelings of disappointment when they realize that the gelfling elders didn't see what happened after the Dark Crystal was healed.

Part 3 

Three days have passed in Leesgoak. As the news of Jen and Kira, the skeksis and the urRu back as the urskeks, and the true power of the Crystal restored spread all over the five provinces the gelflings have been rejoicing and celebrating, holding Jen and Kira in honor of fulfilling the prophecy, and making many thanksgivings and passovers marking a day of remembrance. Despite the comforts, welcomes, cheers, honnorfeasts and happiness of being with their race, Jen and Kira are still sad that no one will listen about the Crystal of Truth being broken in fragments. Jen has been moved to the Geflan Province, gelflings with light tan skin. He is staying with the province ruler, Jyan, in his house in the gelfling town of Zeanek. Jen is in a guest room lying in a bed, thinking to himself.

Jen (in thought): "Back in the urRu valley I used to sit by the pond, playing my flute, pretending that there were other gelflings hiding behind and creeping up to me. I would turn around to catch them in sight but they disappear. It was just a game I used to play a lot. Then I met Kira. I almost lost her to the skeksis. We made our own home and had two babies for our future. Kira and I set out to restore the Crystal again and we met the Mutant Gelflings. They helped us find the 3'rd fragment and Roosack joined us as a companion in our quest. Then we found this gelfling sanctuary full of refugees. When we tried to tell them every thing what happened in the outside they called me and Kira saviors and believed all their troubles were over."

Jen takes the Crystal Shard from his pocket and holds up.

Jen (in thought): "Once you're fully grown nothing will be simple again. I learned that when we found the wall of destiny after Kira's village was raided."

There is a knock on the door and Jen Quickly hides the Shard back in his pocket.

Jen: "Who is it?"

Voice: "It's Jyan. May I come in?"

Jen: "Yes"

Jyan enters the room and goes to Jen. His skin and hair is somewhat the same color as Jen's despite he is middle aged.

Jyan: "Well Lord Jen, how are we this afternoon?"

Jen: "Well I kind of miss Kira and Roosack. I wish we weren't separated."

Jyan: "No need to worry, the Lady Kira is well in good hands in the Geflyee Province and Roosack is still in Gefinas, being well cared for. I'm sure you will see them again. I came to see if you like to join me for a late lunch."

Jen: "With all respect Jyan, I'm still a little worn from past feast and parties."

Jyan: "Oh, no. Nothing like that Lord. Just a simple meal of course."

Jen: "Well, alright."

Jen and Jyan exit the guest room and walk down a hallway Jyan sees the sad expression on Jen's face.

Jyan: "Is something troubling you Lord Jen?"

Jen: "I still upset about being separated from my companions. Jyan, I found out that there are 5 kinds of gelfling here in Leesgoak and they all live in 5 provinces to there own species. Why are the gelfling segregated from each other?"

Jyan: "Well, you're right that we've been keeping to our own species Jen but it was never meant to be an act of segregation. You may have not noticed it but all 5 gelfling kinds are under populated. We are trying to work together to restore our race by mass breeding but we must marry within our species to keep the increases in order. For example; a Geflaning, our kind, may marry a female of his own species. A Geflyeeing, that Kira's kind, may marry the male of her own species. Its been like that in all the provinces."

Jen: "So I, a geflaning, am not aloud to marry a geflyeeing? Sounds like segregation to me."

Jyan sees Jen's face turn from sadness to disagreement.

Jyan: "Well, my lord, It has been uncommon for a gelfling to marry outside his or her kind for a while but it's not forbidden. A few gelfling has done such a marriage just as it was before the slaughter long ago. It is wrong to segregate our other gelfling species. When one marries outside his or her own we treat them with honor to remind that a gelfling is a gelfling and all of us are one blood, one race, one gelfling. Does that ease your thought about us Lord?"

Jen: "It does put me in relief. I think you should know that while we're not married, Kira is my wife because we have a couple of babies back home."

Jyan: "Forgive me Lord Jen. I had no Idea. It was wrong to separate the 2 of you."

Jen: "It's alright Jyan. You said I will see Kira again soon."

A female Geflaning enters the hall and approaches Jen and Jyan.

Jyan: "Well Jan, you're back home from your classes early."

Jan: "The Masters let us go early because today has been declared a holiday father."

Jyan: "Ah yes, the selected day to honor the news of the Dark Crystal has been healed by gelfling hand. Jan, this is Lord Jen. He is staying with us as our guest. Jen, this is Jan my niece. Her real father, my brother, was killed in the garthim raids so I took her under my wing and raised her as my own daughter."

Jen looks at Jan and sees that despite her gender she looks a little similar to him.

Jyan: "I invited Lord Jen to a simple lunch. Care to join us Jan?"

Jan: "Yes father I like to get to Know a lot about Jen"

The three geflanings walk down the hall and enter a dinning room.

Part 4

Kira has been moved to the Geflyee Province, gelflings with light skin and brown spots on part of their bodies. Like Jen, she learned that the five gelfling species only keep to them selves strictly for marriage and breeding, she is staying with the province ruler, Kirre, in her house in the town called Shelone. Kira is in a guest room lying in bed thinking to herself.

Kira (In thought): "I remember how my mother died when she hid me in the tree's hollow. Grabbed and crushed by a garthim claw. After that the podlings found me crawling out an adopted me into their clan. They taught me to speak their words, to talk to the animals, to grow pods and food, and to hide from the garthim raiders. Despite the love and happiness they gave me I used to wish be with other gelfling. Now that I am, why do I feel so disappointed? Because they didn't listen about the Crystal being broken again? Because they separated Jen and Roosack from me? Well, it's both of course but I just can't lay here mopping about it. I got to tell Kirre what happen to the Crystal and my quest with Jen. If she doesn't listen, I'll just grab her by the hand and dreamfast it into her mind. If there's one thing I know, you shouldn't loose your head even in the gravest situations. If you do, then all will really be hopeless."

A knock is heard on the door.

Kira: "Who is it?"

Voice: "It's Kirre. May I come in?"

Kira: "Yes."

Kirre enters the room and goes up to Kira. Her hair is curly, brown spots run down her nose and she wears the same uniform of the Sky Guard.

Kirre: "Is everything alright my lady."

Kira: "I am, a little. Do you know what's become of Jen?"

Kirre: "He's in Zeanek where Jyan is looking after him just as I'm looking after you my lady."

Kira: "I do enjoy the hospitality of you house Kirre but I must tell you there is a reason why I'm here."

Kirre: "No need to tell me Lady Kira. It was easy to figure it out. You are here to find other gelfling and to bring them back home. We all believed that we were the only survivors of the massacre and it was up to us to heal the Dark Crystal. We used to send secret envoys to Aughra's if she found the true Shard among the fakes but they all came back empty-handed. We never sent anyone out again for the fear of being found by the crystal bats. Then the Great Conjunction came and we all feared the coming of the end but instead came a new beginning. WE felt our hearts lifted as the forest became fruitful and the fields, fertile. We all realized that their are other gelfling survivors beyond our sanctuary so we waited for a year and a half for those who healed the Crystal to come find us and bring us home. And now here you are."

Kira sighs in her disappointment in Kirre and get up out of bed and faces her.

Kira: "Kirre, I glad that all you're hopes are fulfilled and our race can live in peace but I'm afraid we will all have to wait a little longer. I need to tell someone the real reason my friends and I are here but even you are not listening."

Kirre: "What? But isn't the Crystal of Truth healed my lady? Isn't the prophecy fulfilled? Has something happened to the Crystal?"

Kira: "Yes Kirre and it's very worse than the skeksis. Look, I'm sorry but I must do this in order for you to listen to me."

Kira grabs Kirre's hand and she sees in Kira's mind what happened after the Dark Crystal was healed. Kira's new life with Jen, Kira teaching Jen how to talk to animals, Jen teaching Kira how to read and write, Jen and Kira in love, Kira giving birth to Dee and later, Biran, Jen learning to grow a pod house, Jen learning academics from Aughra, Jen and Kira collecting books and artifacts from the houses of the old ones, The loud explosion, the earthquake, and finally the discovery of the Crystal broken into nine fragments. Kira lets go of Kirre's hand and Kirre drops to the floor surprised and in despair.

Kirre: "Oh Kira, forgive me. I acted like such a fool in letting myself be overjoyed of the passing of evil. Now the Crystal shattered. It's shards are scattered. What is left that matters?"

Kira kneels down to Kirre to comfort her.

Kira: "I know what you're feeling but it's not your fault. You had the right to feel joy when you feel like it. Right now we need to tell others of what happened to the Crystal and of my mission with Jen and what needs to be done. Will you help me Kirre?"

Kirre: "Yes. Yes I will help. My family lives with me here in my house, we can tell them."

Kirre and Kira exit the guest room and enter a hallway. Kira sees some pictures of gelflings on the walls.

Kira: "Who are all these people Kirre?"

Kirre: "Who? Oh, yes the paintings. They are the deceased members of my family. Some of them were killed in the massacre."

Kira points to a painting of a female gelfling holding a baby.

Kira "Who is that?"

Kirre: "That was my mother. The baby she's holding was my newborn sister. She was killed by a garthim while trying to escape with the infant. I was there when it happened. I was only 5 years of age when I saw the garthim grab my mother and crushed her body to pulp. I never new what happened to my sister."

Kira: "I'm sorry."

Kirre: "I'm alright now. Come let me introduce you to my clan."

Kirre and Kira enter a living room.

Part 5

Back in the Geflan Province, in Jyan's study room, Jen is learning about Jyan's family and how most of them were wiped out by the garthim. Jen is having a hard time trying to keep his patience in telling Jyan about his mission to restore the Crystal again. Jyan is showing Jen a book of pictures of Jyan's clan.

Jyan: "This was my father Urlaen he was a priest and counselor of my hometown and this was my wife Laeka whom was killed while giving birth to my firstborn. This was my brother Jeyan, Jan's father and her mother Leewa. They were killed while trying to fend off the garthim from their house. When my wife died I came to Jeyan to help him but he and his wife were already dead and the garthim were setting their house on fire. In an act of desperation I ran inside to save his children. I was able to get Jan but her brother was already surrounded by the flames and the garthim were nearby so I had no choice but to take Jan and flee and hide with the survivors."

Jan: "I was just an infant when Uncle Jyan saved me. We're the last of our clan Jen. Many families are so small these days."

Jen: "Have you ever thought of remarrying Jyan?"

Jyan: "Many women of my tribe proposed to me but my love for Laeka has never faded. She haunts me when I think of her. Many have told me that it's best to let go of the past in order to start over but, for me, it is so much to ask." 

Jen: "Jan what was your brother's name?"

Jan: "I never knew. Our naming tablets were lost in the fire but my uncle named me Jan because he knew that was the name my father choose for me."

Jyan: "There is one thing about my lost nephew. Some time before the massacre my father was visited by an UrRu who was looking for a particular gelfling to take back to his valley and teach him his wisdom. They came to Jeyan's house where he was celebrating the coming of his two children. After the party, Urlean, Jeyan, Myself, and the urRu had a secret meeting at his house to discuss about adopting the baby boy as the urRu's disciple. Jeyan didn't like the idea but when the UrRu told us the real reason why he wanted to take his son Jeyan reluctantly agreed to take his son when he came to birth. Then the garthim came to massacre us and killed most of my family. But the child the uRru selected? Did it really perish in the fire Or did the uRru arrive in time to save it?"

Jyan bows his head in sorrow while Jen feels a recognition.

Jen: "Jyan, now that you told me about you're family I should tell you my story."

Jen takes Jyan and Jans' hands and images of Jen's life are shown. Jen and his companions on trial, arrested by Dianon, the meeting of Roosack and the gelfling mutants, the return of the urskeks to help Jen and Kira find the fragments, Jen and Kira living happily together, Jen's adventures to heal the Dark Crystal, Jen's life with the urRu, and Jen as a baby being surrounded by fire. Jyan and Jan sees the image of Jeyan and Leewa joyfully looking at baby Jen in a crib. The images fade and Jyan and Jan are staring at Jen with tears steaming from their eyes.

Jan: "It can't be. It can't be him."

Jyan: "It must be him. The urRu selected your brother to find the Crystal Shard, heal the Dark Crystal, and free our world from the skeksis."

Tears appear in Jen's eyes when he now knows he found his lost clan. The three geflanings hug each other in a tight embrace.

Jyan: "What was lost to us has been returned to us. Our Jen has come back to us!"

Jan: "Jen, my brother, you and I are twins Jen. I am your twin sister."

Jen: "I never dared dreamed of finding any of my lost kin. So much has happened since Kira and I set out to find the fragments of the Crystal."

Jyan: "The fragments? Jen! The deamfastning. I saw in your memories the Crystal gone and you finding the first fragment; the Crystal Shard!"

Jen takes the Shard from his pocket and shows it to Jyan and Jan.

Jen: "This is the Crystal Shard I used to restore the Crystal's true power. Now I use it to find the Crystal's fragments and put the Crystal of Truth back together."

Jan: "Oh no. No more. Please no more."

A gelfling servant enters the study and goes up to Jyan. Servant: "Lord Jyan the captain of the Sky Guard is here to see Jen."

Captain Dianon enters the study.

Jyan: "Welcome Captain Dianon. What brings you to Zeanek?"

Dianon: "I've been sent by the Sanctuary Elders to bring Jen back to Gefinas. It's about his friend Roosack."

Jen: "What has happened to him?"

Dianon: "Please Lord Jen. I'm only here as your escort back to Gefinas."

Jyan sees a look of fear in Dianon eyes.

Jyan: "If it pleases Lord Jen may I and my niece come with him?"

Dianon: "As a matter of fact I'm also here to tell you that a special meeting is to be held in Gefinas, attended by all the province rulers. It has something to do what the elders learned from Roosack."

Jyan: "Very well. We will go in the afternoon of the rose sun."

Part 6

The next day Jen and his new found family have been brought back to Gefinas. Jen is glad to see Roosack again and that he was treated and well respected. Jyan and his fellow province rulers are waiting for the Sanctuary Elders to begin the meeting. Kira has also been brought back with Kirre along with her clan. Jen, Kira, and Roosack meet together outside the Elder's building.

Kira: "Oh Jen, I'm so happy to see you again. Roosack it's good to see you to. What happened to both of you?"

Jen: "They tortured me with too many parties of honor and almost spoiled me to death with to many comforts of their homes. I did learn something wonderful about Lord Jyan. He's my long lost uncle"  
Kira tightly hugs Jen.

Kira: "Oh Jen I'm so happy for you!"

Jen: "What about you Kira? What was it like in Geflyee?"

Kira: "It was no different than what you suffered from Jen. And like you I found my lost clan too. Kirre the province ruler of Geflyee, she's my big sister."

Jen laughs with Joy and kisses Kira.

Jen: "Well Kira it seems now we're both in-laws."

Kira: "And you Roosack, how well did they treat you here in Geflinas?"

Roosack: "Despite my deformity I was treated as a respected equal among the gelfling normals. They say that segregation is a sin for all gelflings and that a gelfling is a gelfling in all the 5 tribes. They had me stay in the house of academics where they studied my twisted body and asked so many questions me about my home in Keece-yek. Sometimes I had to use dreamfastning to answer some of them and that how they learned about our mission to collect the crystal fragments. That's why the Sanctuary Elders called a meeting with all the province rulers. They want to know more about are mission from you 2."

Kira: "I was finally able to share my story of the Crystal with Kirre and it shook her up badly. After that she introduced me to her family. Kayda he is my cousin, Klair his little sister, and Kindalr my great grandfather. He was the one who recognized me, through dream fastening, as his long lost great granddaughter."

Jen: "There are only 2 I found in my family. Jyan my uncle, and Jan my twin sister. They both learned about the Crystal from me as well."

Dianon comes out of the building and approaches the three gelflings.

Dianon: "The meeting is about to start. Please come with me."

The three gelflings follow Dianon in to the building and enter a large conference room with a oval shaped table in the center. The five Sanctuary Elders are seated on the left side and the province rulers are seated on the right side. Kira and Jen are seated, side by side, next to Jyan and Kirre, and Roosack is seated next to the first elder.

3'rd elder: "Fellow elders, as you know, we are freed from the chains of the skeksis tyranny and our people are free to live again as we did before. Thanks to our saviors, Jen and Kira, the Crystal of truth now brings life once again to our world."

2'nd elder: "But now a new crisis is at hand. One we dare not tell our people because of a joy that was not felt for hundreds of years. The Crystal is now broken and scattered allover the world by a new enemy worse than all skeksis put together.

4'the elder: "Not since the Crystal cracked, the one became two, and the slighter of our race has there been such fear, despair and the threat of darkness. The new age of light will soon become the age of darkness."

1'st elder: "Yet hope remains. The ones who healed the Crystal have now been sent to restore it again. The tool they used before, they now use it again. The Crystal Shard."

5'th elder: "Bring forth the Shard Jen."

Jen takes the Shard out of his pocket and put it on the center of the table.

Jyan: "By the Old Ones."

Kirre: "The Shard of the Crystal."

3'rd province ruler: "The bane of the Skeksis."

4'th province ruler: "What shall we do now with this crystal shard. It was a mighty weapon against the skeksis but what about this new dark foe? Can the shard be used against him?"

5'th province ruler: "The Shard is part of the Crystal of Truth. It is not a weapon but then no weapon could destroy the skeksis and their garthim army. So what weapon could kill this new enemy?"

1'st elder: "The question is who this new enemy is? Is it more powerful than the skeksis? What evil can he do with the Crystal out of the way?"

Jen stand up and picks up the Shard.

Jen: "When we learned that the Crystal disappeared we searched for clues in the castle and this Shard was the first. Let it show you all what it showed Kira and I."

Jen puts the Shard back on the table and the Shard shows the same images it showed Jen an Kira back in the castle. The Sanctuary Elders and the Province Rulers are amazed at what they seen when the images fade.

Jen: "The dark creature, you all just seen, is a renegade urskek who has come to redo the evil the skeksis has done to our world. The urskeks, who were here before, have come back again to help us deal with this new evil. They are watching over us and keeping tracks of their renegade to see what evil he will do. Kira and I have already found 3 of the Crystal's fragments and the Crystal Shard was the first. The forth one lies somewhere here in Leesgoak as the Shard has showed us."

2'nd elder: " You said the urskeks are watching over us. Have you met any of them Jen?"

Jen: "Yes. UngIm was the first when we found the second fragment in the urRu's valley. SilSol was the second when we found the third one in Roosack's home Kees-yek."

3'rd elder: "Do the urskek's tell you where the Crystal's fragment are?"

Jen: "No. The Crystal Shard is part of the Crystal itself. The Shard knows where the fragments are because they all are part of the Crystal as well. They are linked to each other even if separated in long distances. If anyone here knows anything about the Crystal of Truth besides me, surely he or she would know about the power of the Crystal."

4'th elder: "There is someone who does know. Kindalr, one of geflyee's elders. He used to be a professor and dean in the hall of academics, now he is a philosopher and staying with his great grand daughter Kirre, the province ruler of Geflyee."

Kindalr enters the conference room and stands near Kira.

Kindalr: "My fellow elders what Jen has told you is true. The Crystal of is a living thing unlike any life we know. It does not have flesh, blood, or bone like us. It has a life like eternal energy so it can not die. Even if cracked or shattered the Crystal is still giving life to our world but at a slower pace. The Crystal relies on the three suns to replenish itself just as we need food to restore our energy. These thing I learned from the urRu and from Aughra; the keeper of secrets."

5'th elder: "I believe that we all know what must be done. I say we let our saviors, Jen and Kira, to continue their mission to find the remaining fragments of the Crystal to restore them back to the castle."

Kirre: "Do we just send them off like that? Kira and Jen are our own flesh and blood. They found us, thinking they were the last of their kind. Now we exile them on their own?"

4th elder: "I agree with Kirre but we can not keep them here as long they have a quest that is also important to us. I say we select volunteers to go with Jen and Kira in finding the Crystal's fragments."

Roosack: "I am a volunteer. Where Kira and Jen go, I will go. Their fate will be my fate. So I have vowed."

Jyan: "An excellent pledge. So should it be for all volunteers who wish to go as well."

Kindalr: "Then I will go with them. My Knowledge of the Crystal will prove a great asset to them."

Dianon: "I will go. I pledge to serve and to protect them as I did for the Sanctuary."

3'rd elder: "There are four more, outside, who wish to go with Kira and Jen."

Four gelflings enter the conference room. Jan, Jen's twin sister and Kayda, Kira's cousin. Two gelflings from the Sky Guard. A gefliay; blue skinned gelfling and a geflese a slant eyed yellow skinned gelfling.

Jan: "Kayda and I volunteer to go. We want to explore the outside world and see all of its marvels."

Gefliaying: "I Legoanis and my friend Keanyda volunteer to go as aids for Captain Dianon. Our pledge is no different than hers."

The six volunteers gather beside Jen, Kira, and Roosack. The Sanctuary Elders and the Province Rulers look at them in wonder.

2'nd elder: "Nine companions for nine shards of the Crystal. Let all elders and rulers join hands to find all in favor of allowing these brave fellows to go beyond our sanctuary.

The elders and the rulers join hands and dreamfast for a while. When they finish their decision is made.

3'rd province ruler: "It is unanimous. Jen and Kira, you and your companions shall be the Fellowship of the Crystal Shard."

Chapter 6

Part 1

Three Hours have passed since the Meeting and The Crystal Shard Fellowship are following a trial that leads up the Leesgaok Mountain Range. Jen is using the Shard as a compass to guide him to the forth fragment. Kayda is an expert tracker of the mountain range and is showing the best and safest routes to their goal. Kindalr is talking to Kira about their family. Captain Dianon, Legoanis, and Keanyda are keeping constant vigil for any signs of danger. Roosack is telling Jan about his people and hoe they came to being.

After a while the fellowship come in to a valley on the other side of the mountain range and Jen sees a light purplish glow in the distance.

Kira: "Jen do you think that glow is what I think it is?"

Jen: "Acording to the Shard that's what we came for. Come, let get to it quick."

Dianon: "Wait Jen. We need to see if this place isn't dangerous."

Roosack: "This valley doesn't look dangerous. It's just a small desert."

Keanyda: "It is rumored that this desert valley is full of haunted hazards. We used to send scouts to explore this place to see if it can be farmed on. None of them ever returned.

Kindalr: "Dianon is right. We should let the expirenced scouts and trackers go ahead of us."

Dainon: "I will give airel view. I'm an expert flyer."

Kira: "May I help? I've got some tracking experience myself and I can fly to."

Dianon: "Well, how good are you Kira?"

Kira: "I've been practicing for quite some time and I can get up to ten feet off the ground."

Dianon has a disapproved look but excepts Kira's offer and they both fly off into the valley while the rest enter it on foot. Dianon flies ahead looking for anything out of the ordinary while Kira tries to catch up realizing that Dianon is a better flyer. Dianon sees something odd and signals Kira to her.

Kira: "Huff, huff, wooh. It seems I need more practice. I didn't know you can fly higher than me."

Dianon: "Never mind that Kira. What do you see down there?"

Kira looks at what Dianon is pointing at.

Kira: "Dianon, why does the sand move?"

Dianon takes a crystal coin from her pocket and drops it on the moving sand. The sands erupt and a huge worm like beast emerges. It has a circular mouth full of thorns inside and fangs circling it.

Kira: "What is that thing!"

Dianon: "I don't know but their are two more of them between us and our party. We need to warn them."

Kira and Dianon fly back to the fellowship. Kira is trying to fly as fast as she could but Dianon is more faster. Kira runs out of breath and flutters to the ground. Dianon sees Kira's peril and flies to her rescue, catches Kira and flies of before one of the worms attack. Kira sees that Dianon is carrying her with very little trouble. They reach the fellowship in time but a giant worm burst out of the sands to attack. Keanyda draws a bow of his shoulder and an arrow from a quiver strapped to his thigh and shoots at the worm. Legoanis takes a spear from his back and jabs it at the worm. The worm becomes angry and presses its attack. Dianon draws a crossbow pistol from a holster on her thigh and shoots at the worm to get its attention. The worm turns and snaps at Dianon and Kira. Keanyda fires another arrow at the worm to draw it away from them. Suddenly, the other worm burst out of the ground to join the attack on the gelflings.

Dianon: "This isn't looking good Kira! Those giant worms are getting the best of us."

Kira: "Wait lower me down. I have an idea."

Dianon: "Are you crazy! What can you do to stop those monsters!"

Kira: "Trust me! Just lower me down."

Dianon lowers Kira closer to the worms. Kira cups her hand as if to yell out.

Kira: "Wwwwoaaaaauuuurrrr! Wwwwoooooaaaauuuurrrrrr! Wwwwwwoooooaaaaaauuuuuurrrrrrrrr!"

The worms stop their attack an turn to Kira.

Worms: "Wooouuurrr. Woooouuurrr. Waaaoouuurr."

Kira: "Wwwwaaaaaaooooouuuurrrrr!"

The worms respond to Kira's last call by burrowing back into the ground and leave.

Dianon and Kira land and run up to the fellowship to see if they are alright.

Kira: "Jen are you alright?"

Jen: "I was worried for you as well. I saw you having some trouble flying."

Kira: "I was trying to catch up with Dianon. It seems I still need more practice."

Jan: "How is it that you can talk with those worms? Are there any where you live Kira?"

Kira: "As a matter of fact yes. They're called Burra worms but they are a lot more smaller than these giants."

Dianon: "Well at least we have a way to avoid these Burra worms."

Kayda: "Indeed, that is a very neat skill cousin."

Kindalr: "We best move on before we're attacked again."

The Nine gelflings enter the valley.

Part 2

The Nine gelflings have reached the other side of the valley and found the fourth fragment. The five new companions stare at it with awe. The fragment is not as big as the last two but enough to pick up with two hands."

Kayda: "So this is a piece of the Crystal of Truth."

Jan: "I've heard so much about the Crystal in lectures they give in the school. Some of them were also about Urskek mathamatics."

Legoanis: "I never thought I would see such a thing as the Crystal, let alone a fragment of it."

Keanyda: "So we just pick up the fragment and carry it back to the sanctuary, right?"

Kindalr: "Ha. Ha. Ha. If only you seen what I saw in Jen's mind though dreamfastning."

Jen takes the Shard and touches the fragment with it. The fragment shrinks and disappears, like the last two, into the Shard. A flash of light appears where the fragment was and UrAc the Scribe and SkekOK the Scroll-Keeper emerge from the light. Dianon, Legoanis, and Keanyda become scared of the skeksis and draw their weapons.

Kira: "No don't! It's alright you three. Just watch."

SkekOc and UrAc join and form into OkAc the Urskek. The Five gelflings stare at awe and bewilderment.

OkAc: "Well done Jen and Kira and I see you found some gelfling survivors in the process."

Jen: "Actualy, they found us. They come from a sanctuary called Leesgoak on the other side of the mountain range. When we told them about ourselves they called us saviors of the world and kind of worshiped us..."

OkAc: "It sounds like you had an interesting adventure here Jen but time is getting a little short for long stories. My fellow UrSkeks have kept vigil over our renegade brother and he's is close to this mountain range."

Dianon: "What? He's here? Where? Where is he?"

Kindalr: "Quiet. Let the urskek speak."

OkAc: "He was looking for something other than gelflings it seems the dark urskek was looking for that crystal fragment you already found."

Kira: "Is he still coming here? What will he do if he finds the sanctuary?"

OkAc goes into a trance for a little while. When he comes out of it he has an answer.

OkAc: "I've been in commune with my fellow urskeks and they say he's moving off. It must seem the dark one only wanted that fragment."

Dianon: "Never the less, the people of Leesgoak must be warned about this just in case this Renegade urskek comes back again." 

Kayda: "Maybe the gelfling should migrate back to the land of the Crystal. They could be safer there."

Kindalr: "There has been some talk about such an idea. The Santuary Elders sent a couple of emissaries to Keece-yek to talk with the gelfling mutants in forming an alliance."

OkAc: "Speaking of the Crystal's land, Aughra is wondering how you and Kira have been doing Jen."

OkAc gives Jen and Kira a couple of small crystals.

OkAc: "These are the same crystals the bats used to carry to spy all over the world. I modified them so they can be used for sending messages. Give it a try Jen. You'll see how it works."

Jen looks at the small crystal and sees an image of Aughra in it.

Aughra: "Ah Jen good to see you it is."

Jen: "What the... Aughra. How did you get in this tiny crystal?"

Aughra: "Humph did TekTih show you how Telecrystals work? It's no different than spy crystals, they just link to each other as spy crystals link to the Dark Crystal."

Kindalr goes up to Jen and looks at the telecrystal.

Kindalr: "Well Aughra, it's been a long while."

Aughra: "Ah Kindalr. Good to see you, it is, my old student."

Jen: "You know Aughra, Kindalr?"

Kindalr: "I should do Jen. When Aughra broke up the friendship with Skektek she needed a new assistant. So she visited many of the schools and academies to find the perfect apprentice and chose me."

Aughra: "Taught him most of the secrets I Know. You only know half of them Jen."

OkAc: "With these telecrystals you can communicate with each other when needed. You will find it quiet useful on your journeys."

Dianon: "We should go back and tell everyone what happened here."

OkAc: "I shall go with you. It's been a while since I've been with gelflings."

Chapter 7

Part 1

Two days have passed after the nine gelflings left the Leesgoak Mountain Range. They are riding seven leevros to where the fifth crystal fragment is. The Crystal Shard has shown Jen where the fragment lies in a huge canyon called Dewaol. Aughra has told Jen that Dewaol was once a home of burrowing giants called Burlaans that mined the crystals for the uskeks to make the Castle out of the mountain. Dianon is ahead of the flock scouting for seakzats on the prowl. Kayda is riding with Kira because he doesn't know how to ride leevros. Jan is riding with Roosack for the same reason. Keanyda and Legaonis are riding in back of the flock to lookout for danger behind. Kindalr has no trouble of riding a leevro. He's been riding then when Kira's grandfather was a baby. Dianon slows down her leevro to let the others catch up.

Dianon: "I spotted the Dewaol Canyon in the distance! It's looks a lot wider than the Shard showed us!"

Jen: "Any sign of danger there Dianon!"

Dianon: "None that I could see at this height! The canyon is very deep!"

Kindalr: "I say we let our leevros rest when we come at Dewoal's edge! Leevros can only travel so far in two days!"

Jan: "My thoughts exactly! I don't know how much longer I can hang on!"

Kira: "Don't worry! With a little more practice you and Kayda will get the hang of it!"

Dianon: "That reminds me, when we set down Legoanis, Keanyda, and I what to talk to of you about something very important!"

Kayda: "About what!"

Dianon: "Self defense!"

The five gelflings except Kindalr look puzzled at Dianon's last sentence. The Crystal Shard Fellowship arrive at Dewoal Canyon, land near a cliff and make camp. Dianon sees Kira is a little confused about something and goes up to her.

Dianon: "Is something wrong Kira?"

Kira: "Mmm? Oh, Dianon. No nothings wrong. Why?"

Dianon: "You do seem to be disturbed by something."

Kira: "Dianon, I've practice flying for a year now and only been able to get ten feet of the ground."

Dianon: "That's very good. Basically, it takes 3 years to master such a height. You must be well gifted Kira."

Kira: "But after seeing that you can fly higher and faster than I can..."

Dianon: "Is that it! Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh Kira there is a good reason I can do that. Here feel my wings."

Dianon opens her wings and Kira examines them.

Kira: "They seem to be a little bigger and thicker than mine."

Dianon: "Exactly Kira. I learned how to fly at the Sky Guard training grounds in Leesgaok and it took me 6 years for me to reach twenty feet. Now don't doubt yourself Kira. Ten feet is a standard altitude for most female gelflings and many girls in the Sky Guard, like me, are trained to fly over beyond that height."

Kira: "So I'm not really far behind at all?"

Dianon: "Well, in many ways, in gelfling culture, but not in flying."

A smile appears on Kira's lips. Dianon and Kira walk to where the other gelflings are pitching the tents.

Dianon: "Kira while we were riding the leevros you seem to be in better control of your mount than all of us. How did you ever learn to tame such a wild beast?"

Kira: "I learned from the podlings. They have a language that even the animals understand. They taught me how to call many animals in their own tongue."

Dianon: "You can speak podling?"

Kira: "Of course. I was adopted and raised by them. Isn't there any gelfling in the sanctuary that can speak podling?"

Dianon: "Well, some of the sky guardians know a few words. We use them to control the leevros but it is not easy. I tell you what Kira. If you teach me the podling language I'll help you improve your flying skills."

Kira: "It's a deal friend."

When Dianon and Kira arrive at the camp Keanyda signals Dianon to come see what he has found.

Dianon: "What is it Keanyda?"

Keanyda: "I saw a figure down in the canyon floor. It entered a cave over there on the left wall."

Jen: "It could be one of the burlaan Aughra was talking about."

Roosack: "Are the burlann dangerous?"

Jen: "Aughra said the burlaan used to be friends of the urskeks and mined the crystals for making the Crystal Castle. When the urskeks split in two the skeksis enslaved the burlaan and forced them to mine for precious stones and metals. When the mountain of the Crystal ran out of minerals the skeksis sent the burlaan to the nearby mountain range to get more gems and metals. Some of them took the opportunity to escape and fled to this canyon to start a new life here. If the burlaan are still friendly maybe they can help us find the Fifth Fragment."

Kindalr: "None of us have ever seen a burlaan but Aughra use to tell me they are very strong but very gentle. If the burlaan are still hurting from what the skeksis did to them they may be less friendly."

Dianon: "This is the reason I want to discuss about self defense with all of you. Many of us don't have the skills of armed combat except me, Keanyda, and Legoanis. If we are to face whatever dangers out there we must be prepared for them. I brought some extra weapons for us to train with but if there is anybody who disagrees let speak now."

Jan: "I don't like fighting of any kind but I hate the idea of being eaten by a burlaan a lot more."

Kayda: "I agree with Captain Dianon. She and her two sky Guardians can't protect us alone."

Kira: "I have some skill with a sling and bola but I could use some more improvement."

Jen: "The UrRu never taught me how to fight. I like to learn."

Roosack: "I am a scout of the Keece-yek Patrol but if you teach me your combat skills my four arms will be more useful for all of us."

Kindalr: "I am full of age but I'm more skilled in the combat arts than any of you. Dianon is right about the need of self defense for all of us but let us not for get that we are not here to make enemies our true enemy threatens all of thra and her children. Let us make allies of them all to fight this dark urskek."

Dianon: "Then let's start training."

Part 2

It is late in the afternoon and the Fellowship of the Crystal Shard has been in self defense training since late morning. Kayda is learning how to use a quarterstaff, Jen is learning with a spear, Kira is improving her skills in flying and sling throwing, Jan is training to fly and to use a bow and arrow, Roosack is learning to fight with short swords in all four hands. Dianon, Keanyda, Legoanis, and Kindalr are instructing their students.

Dianon: "That it Kira Keep your wings flapping. The more you exercise them the stronger they will become."

Keanyda: "You see that Kayda? You not lifting your staff high enough. To block a blow, use either side of your staff for deflection."

Legoanis: "That's it Jan. Use the arrow head as a target site when aiming where to shoot."

Kindalr: "Good Jen but remember; a spear can be used as a javelin as well as a staff or pike."

Legoanis is standing near the edge of the cliff supervising Jan's next shot. Suddenly the ground he is standing on crumbles and Legoanis falls into the canyon.

Legoanis: "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

Jan: "Legoanis!"

Jen: "What the.."

Keanyda: "What happened!"

Dianon: "What happened to Legoanis!"

Jen: "The ground gave way and Legoanis fell down the cliff!"

The eight gelflings gather around the edge to see any sign of Legoanis.

Kindalr: "Don't step to close. This ground is unstable. WE could fall in and end up like him."

Dianon: "Well, we have to go down there anyway to get the Crystal fragment and to save Legoanis."

Kira: "Do you think he's alright?"

Roosack: "He fell a long drop. There's no way he could survive."

Dianon: "There is some rope on Legoanis's Leevro. We'll need that to climb down."

Jen: "I'm good at rock climbing. I used to scale the walls of the UrRu valley."

Dianon(Disgusted): "Well you should of mentioned that before Jen so you could train the lot of us then."

Kira: "Why should all of us climb down when us girls can fly down."

Dianon(More Disgusted): "Oh for the love of...! Sigh. Alright. Jen you lead the descent. Kira, Jan, and I will fly as escorts. Kindalr could you watch the camp for us?"

Kindalr: "Perhaps if I had some way of staying in touch with your rescue party."

Kira: "Here grandfather, use my telecrystal."

Kira gives Kindalr her telecrystal. The seven gelflings make ready to go in to the Dewaol Canyon.  
At the bottom of the canyon Legoanis is lying, uncurious, in a pool of water and is badly hurt. A large shadow appears and covers him. To big hands scoop legaonis out of the pool and lift him up. Meanwhile, the seven gelflings are looking for legoanis. Dianon is flying low as a scout, Kira is flying at level with the climbers, and Jan is flying high to keep the rope in check. Jen is showing keanyda, Roosack, and Kayda the art of rock climbing.

Jen: "That's it you guys, test the hold before you use it. No! Don't look down Keanyda. That will only make you afraid."

Kayda: "But how will we know if we're close to the bottom?"

Jen: "Don't worry about that, it's down there. You just concentrate on climbing down."

Dianon flies up to Jen with a quiver full of arrows.

Dianon: "I found this on a ledge just a few feet below us. Legoanis must have hit it while falling."

Kira: "Was there any blood on the ledge?"

Dianon: "None that I could find. There is a large pool far below at the bottom. Legoanis must have fallen in it."

Roosack: "Can he swim?"

Dianon is silent for a little while then answers.

Dianon: "No."

Jen: "We've gotten this far so let's not give up now. We must find Legoanis dead or alive."

The six gelflings give Jen a questioning look.

Kira: "Jen I know you you're hoping he's still alive so we can save him. But what will you do if we find Legoanis dead?"

Jen: "At least we can give him a burial. When was the last time a gelfling was given a funeral since the skeksis tried to liquefy our race?"

There is a long silence among the gelflings as they nod their heads in agreement. The gelflings continue to climb down the cliff. In a cave in the wall of the canyon Legoanis is still asleep. He is lying in a bed carved out in the rock. A large fur blanket covers him completely. Legoanis slowly opens his eyes and groans from the pain racing all over his body. He tries to pull the blanket off but his left arm is in a sling. When he removes the blanket with his right hand he finds both legs are in splints. Legoanis tries to get up and a sharp pain runs through his head. He put his hand on his head and feels a bandage wrapped around it. Legoanis looks around and sees the cave is filled with oversized furniture. Just then a giant like creature enters the cave. It's legs are bent and bulgy, the arms are muscular, the hands are huge and thick, the chest is broad and the torso is pot bellied, head is baled and the face is wrinkled. The giant sees Legoanis awake and smiles revealing a row of crooked teeth.

Giant: "Ah gooma, Jolo roumba gefleen."

The giant approaches Legoanis and sees him becoming afraid.

Giant: "Oh doola, jeema gleioo seeogo gefleen. Boora. Boora."

The giant scoops up Legoanis and cradles him in his arms. Legoanis is still frighten but he doesn't make no attempt to resist. The giant carries legoanis out of the cave and walk to a waterfall. Back at the cliff the seven gelflings have reached the canyon floor and are looking for Legoanis's body. Keanyda has found something near a pool and signals the other to join him.

Dianon: "What did you find Keanyda?"

Keanyda: "It's Legoanis's bow. I found it at the pool's edge."

All the gelflings are totally silent.

Jan: "Oh Legoanis."

Roosack: "Wait. What's that, over there?"

Roosack runs up to what he has seen and picks up a wet cloak.

Kayda: "That's Legoanis's Cloak!"

Jen: "Then he may be still alive but hurt."

Roosack: "There, look something else."

Roosack runs up to what he has found and picks up a coat of scales.

Keanyda: "Legoanis's scale coat. He must of discarded it to loose the weight."

Dianon: "He must be leaving a trail for us to follow. The sooner we start the sooner we find him."

Kira: "Hold it! I found something to."

Dianon runs up to Kira to see what she found.

Kira: "It's an imprint of Legoanis's body in the mud by the pool but look at this. The center of the imprint was dug out by what looks like huge hands."

Jan: "Huge hands"  
Kayda: "What could it mean?"

Jen: "Only one possible answer."

Dianon: "The Burlaan. Let's go find Legoanis and let's hope the burlann are still peaceful."

The seven gelflings follow the trail of discarded armor.

Part 3

Legoanis has been treated very well by the giant who bathed him in the waterfall. He is not much afraid of him as he used to be. The giant is treating Legoanis as if he were a beloved pet or child. The giant is feeding legoanis with some strange vegetables and mushrooms. He wonders if this giant is a burlaan.

Legoanis: "Thank you very much for helping sir."

The giant looks at legoanis when he doesn't understand a word he said.

Giant: "Booba, gabe boo wampae?"

Legoanis: "Let's try something simple"  
Legoanis points to himself and says his name and points to the giant and asks his name. The giant points to himself and answers.

Giant: "Leegoonass?

Legoanis: "Sigh. Let's try again. Me Legoanis. Who, are, you?"

The Giant points to himself again and answers.

Giant: "Huuaryuu?"

Legoanis: "So far we're getting no where. Alright, let's try the easy way."

Legoanis touches the giant's hand to dreamfast but it doesn't work.

Legoanis: "Now what will I do? How will we be able to find out about each other?"

The giant pets Legoanis to comfort him. Just then Dianon's voice is heard.

Dianon: "Legoanis! Legoanis, are you here?

Legoanis gets up and sees the seven gelflings nearby. Legoanis happily runs to meet them followed by the giant. Dianon sees Legoanis and the giant following him. She runs up to him with her crossbow drawn, thinking to defend him.

Dianon: "Legoanis! Lookout, I'll stop that beast!"

Legoanis: "What? Wait, No! Don't! He's a friend!"

Legoanis knocks the crossbow from Dianon's hand and it catapults the arrow, cutting the giant's arm.

Giant: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

The giant kneels in pain and cries. Legoanis goes up to the giant trying to apologies to him and points to the seven gelflings.

Legoanis: "I'm sorry for what they did to you. These are my friends who were just worried about me. They didn't know that you were just helping. Please forgive them."

The giant scoops up legoanis and cuddles him as his friends watch in amazement.

Roosack: "So this is a burlaan?"

Keanyda: "I don't know. I never seen one."

Kayda: "So what do we do? That thing has a hold of Legoanis and he could get hurt if we tried to save him."

Jan: "I don't think we need to do that. Just look how the giant is being gentle with legoanis. Maybe it is a burlaan."

Jen: "Only one way to find out."

Jen pulls the telecrystal out of his pocket and contacts Kindalr.

Kindalr: "Well Jen it's about time you called. Did you find Legoanis?"

Jen: "Yes we did and we also found a giant that we think is a burlaan."

Jen shows Kindalr the giant holding Legoanis with the telecrystal.

Kindalr: "Yes that is a burlann alright. Did you try to talk to it?

Legoanis: "I tried but it was no use. Even dreamfastning doesn't work."

Kindalr: "That can only mean that this burlaan is mentally challenged. I do know that the burlaan are cousins to the podlings though and they might know the pod language."

Kira overhears the what Kindalr said and goes up to the burlaan to talk to him.

Kira: "Dooesa aminya burlaan."

Burlaan: "Ooohh geflee. Estanyae ya cooda."

Kira: "Amunyae Kira. Amunyae leeva?"

Burlaan:" Ahh! Bazzzcxoo. Amunyee Bazzzcxoo."

Legoanis: "Kira you did it! We can now communicate with him."

Kira: "He says he is a burlaan and his name is Bazzzcxoo."

Jan: "Are there other burlaans around?"

Kira: "Burlaan acooda? Escune atye na?"

Bazzcxoo: "Muuda Burlaans vollase escuce valu va. Ooklaveme dallow eveial."

Kira: " He says his people live on the other side of the canyon but there is something wrong there."

Bazzcxoo: "Dargcoon hoonband voollase geemstou. Cooda akor xuor ooskeec. Aminya unyae ooskeec hana abodeda geemstou finboo orscac wala. Ooskeec bola voollase eveial salve."

Kira: "Many nights ago a large crystal was seen flying across the night sky and landed somewhere near their village. Two days later a black uskek came to the village and was welcomed by his people. The uskek asked about the flying crystal but no one really new where it was. The urskek began to chant and the burlaan turned into mindless zombies like the pod slave."

Everyone is silent for a little while.

Keanyda: "But how did he escape from the dark urskek's power?"

Kira: "Aleeva coobe Bazzcxoo?"

Bazzcxoo: "Basha meeka buum measa. Orlassoo gova burlaan voollase."

Kira: "He was kicked out for being slow minded but sometimes he would sneak back to steal some food."

Kayda: "At least we know where the fifth fragment is but what will we do if we meet the dark urskek? Did he find the fragment and how will we deal with the enslaved burlaans?"

Jen: "I'm sure the fifth fragment is alright. The Shard would have told me if anything has happened to it."

Legoanis: "Bazzcxoo, will you take us to your village?"

Kira: "Doosa voollase Bazzcxoo?"

Bazzcxoo hesitates then nods his head and leads the eight gelflings to the burlann village.

Part 4

Two hours have passed as Bazzcxoo and the gelflings travel to the burlaan village called Stone Roof. Bazzcxoo is carrying his friend Legoanis while his healing improves. Kira is riding on Bazzcxoo's shoulders and interpetating for him. Jen, Jan, and Kayda are mapping the canyon in order to find there way back. Roosack, Dianon, and Keanyda are keeping an eye out for any danger. Finally they arrive at the burlaan village which is carved out of the canyon wall and find it deserted.

Kayda: "It seem that dark urskek has all of the population looking for the fifth fragment."

Jan: "In that case lets look around in this village for clues to where the fragment is."

Dianon: "Bad idea there may be a few burlaans left behind to guard the village."

Jen: "And besides I have the shard to tell us if the crystal fragment is alright."

Jen takes the Crystal Shard and it shows the fifth crystal fragment in a clump of bushes being guarded by two burlaans.

Roosack: "We're too late they found it."

Keanyda: "But they haven't done anything to it yet. We still can save the fragment."

Legoanis: "But how? Those two burlaans look strong enough to make juice out of us."

Kira translates to Bazzcxoo what they are talking about then he tells Kira what he has in mind.

Kira: "Listen everyone. Bazzcxoo says he can help us with an idea he just thought of."

The gelflings gather around Bazzcxoo as he tells them how to save the fifth fragment.

In a light forest nearby the burlaan village, the two guards are keeping watch over the crystal fragment. Although they have seen the dark urskek they don't appear to be under a trance. Suddenly, Bazzcxoo jumps out from behind a bush, surprising the guards.

Bazzcxoo: "Zaaaayyyyylllllooooo! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Guard #1: "Bazzcxoo! Eazoola Bazzcxoo!"

Guard #2: "Morgha beian drouga Bazzcxoo"  
Bazzcxoo: "Noey eazoola! Bazzcxoo yoayoa meait laey oxct!"

The guards become angry and chase Bazzcxoo out of the forest and into the village then to a nearby stream bordering their land. When the guards think they cased Bazcxoo out they return to the forest to find the crystal fragment gone. Back in the village Jen has successfully recovered the Fifth Crystal Fragment with the Crystal Shard and rejoined with his fellow gelflings.

Kira: "You did it Jen. Bazzcxoo's plan worked."

Kayda: "I hope he made it before the guards could get him."

Keanyda: "I saw the them turn back after they chased Bazzcxoo out. He should be with Dianon and Legoanis by now"  
Jen: "Then let us join them as well and..."

Just then the two burlaan guards enter the village and find the gelflings.

Guard #1: "Houga lees! Gelfee. Thoy mea Gelfee!"

Guard #2: "Jiae Muugan. Bont nie yuoht geflee ozzict."

Roosack: "Now what?"

Kira: "Doelay Burlan! Doezba!"

The guards become surprised to find a gelfling that could speak the language of their podling cousins.

Guard #1: "Thoy gelfee sepcal puollee."

Guard #2: "Bah! Oyu louf. Tdon loes owkn gelfee dan puollee sepcal eaeyutrr anuaeg?"

Just then, a flash of light appears between the burlaans and the gelflings. SkekZok the Ritual-Master and UrZah the Ritual guardian appear from the light. The burlaan guards recognize SkekZok and run away in fear of him. SkekZok and UrZah merge together to form ZokZah the Urskek.

ZokZah: "Good work Jen and Kira you have already collected half of the Crystal Fragments."

Jen: "We had some help from a new friend we found here; A burlaan."

ZokZah: "Ah yes the burlaan. I remember them well. They are a very gentle race and they always take in any small creature as a beloved pet and they're enamored with gelflings."

Kira: "You mean the Burlaan think we're adorable like baby animals?"

Jan: "Well, you seen how Bazzcxoo was always cradling Legoanis and he did take good care of him when he was hurt."

Kayda: "I bet the burlaan missed us very much when the garthim almost made us extinct. maybe that's why the burlaan aren't so gentle as they used to be."

ZokZah: "That is true. Gelfling culture has always influenced the burlaan to gentleness. The love of nature. The way of peace. The shapes of kindness. All these in the Gelfling Culture have brought the burlaan to love your people. Now, as you know, the dark urskek has influenced the burlaan in the way of mercilessness. He found them while looking for the remaining crystal fragments and used a mind control skill on them to help him look for the fragment here in this canyon.  
When they found it the dark urskek had some trouble trying to move it."

Keanyda: "It was to heavy for him?"

ZokZah: "It was to powerful for anyone to touch it. The Dark urskek left the canyon to find a way to carry the crystal fragment. As for the burlaan they are still under his evil influence and don't have much care of the animals as they used to have."

Jan: "Those poor giants. Is there any way we could help them?"

ZokZah: "That is why I am here. I was sent to undo the Dark urskek's dominion over the burlaan and I believe your friend Bazzcxoo can help me. In return I will cure him of his mental disadvantages and help get his people to take him back. As for you, The Crystal Shard Fellowship, the sixth fragment awaits."

Chapter 8

Part 1 

Two hours later, The eight gelflings have returned to their camp were Kindalr is waiting for them. He's been looking after the leevros, reading some books he brought along, and talking with Aughra on the telecrystal. Kira and Kayda go to Kindalr to tell him of their adventure. Jen and Jan help Legoanis to his tent. Dianon, Keanyda, and Roosack gather the equipment to load on the leevros.

Jan: "Hey Jen, do you think Bazzcxoo will be alright with his people?"

Jen: "He should be sister. ZokZah is with him and the burlaan used to be good friend with the urskeks."

Legoanis: "So where do we go from here Jen? I mean, where is the Sixth Crystal Fragment?"

Jen: "I'll look when we're ready to leave. Right now you need some rest and healing. UrIm the healer taught me many of his healing skills and Dianon said we could leave in the morning depending on how well you get."

Legoanis: "But I'm well enough to travel. Riding a leevro is done in the seated position..."

Jan: "Captain Dianon gave you orders to take it easy, Sky Guardian Legoanis. I suggest you follow them."

Legoanis: "Yes General Jen & Jan."

In the morning The Crystal Shard Fellowship have packed up for their next adventure. Legoanis is much better than before, thanks to a technique Jen learned from the urRu UrIm. Jen takes the shard and an image of a deserted old gelfling town appears in it.

Jen: "It look like the next fragment is in that town. The question is where is that town?"

Kindalr goes up to Jen and looks at the image.

Kindalr: "Well, well, if it isn't the old town of Cryst. It used to be the capitol of the geflaer which is your kind Dianon."

Dianon's eye's widen with fear. 

Dianon: "No! Not Cryst. We can't go there."

Keanyda: "What's wrong ma'am? Why are you afraid?"

Legoanis: "Captain we all suffered from the garthim attacks on our hometowns but if we are to start over again we need to take back what was ours."

Dianon: "That's not the reason I'm scared of Cryst. Bad things happened in there once. Many lives were lost by a tragedy that happened long before the skeksis almost massacred us."

Roosack: "What was this tragedy in Cryst Dianon?"

Kindalr: "A plague."

All the gelflings turn to Kindalr in response to his answer."

Kindalr: "It was a plague that killed Cryst. The Plague of Tears."

Kayda: "I've heard about that but it's only a legend is it?"

Dianon: "It's real. Very real. It happens when gelflings die from too much sadness."

Jan: "Too much what?"

Kindalr: "The Plague of Tears is a disease of emotion. If a gelfling is depressed for too long it will become very ill and if that gelfling is still in sorrow when sick it will die a slow, sad, death."

Kayda: "You mean us gelflings can die from a broken heart?"

Kindalr: "Such a death is very rare but the plague of tears claimed many lives in Cryst."

Kira: "What was it that made the Crystians so upset enough to die?"

Kindalr: "That, my grand daughter, is still a mystery, even to me. Never the less, we have to go there to get the fragment before it falls in the hands of the dark urskek."

Dianon: "I will not go!"

The gelflings turn to Dianon in response to her outburst.

Dianon: "Unless the number of votes outnumber me, I will not set foot in Cryst."

Kayda: "I don't want to enter that city either."

Jan: "Nor me. What if it's haunted?"

Keanyda: "I will go. The Sky Guard have a saying. If their is a true enemy worth fighting, it is fear itself."

Legoanis: "I to will go for all Sky Guardians keep that saying as a morale."

Roosack: "If Cryst is haunted with the ghost of sorrowful souls, then let us look for the other fragment instead and pick up the one in Cryst for last."

Kira: "I would like to know what cause this Plague of Tears in Cryst. Why should it remain a mystery?"

Kindalr: "The last vote is upon you Jen. What does the Shard barer say?"

Jen is quiet for a little while then answers.

Jen: "I do not wish to go but I will go if you decide it Kindalr."

All the gelflings are silent and still at Jen's response.

Part 2

Two days have passed since the gelflings left Dewaol Canyon. Dianon is somewhat distressed in going to Cryst. Kira, Kindalr, Keanyda, and Legoanis can hardly wait to see the geflaer city. Jen is concerned about the others who did not want to go, mostly with Dianon. A wide complex of buildings and houses appear in the horizon.

Kindalr: "There it is, Cryst! We'll be there in half an hour at least!"

Kira: "Look at the land surrounding it! It's a giant field of yellow grass!"

Kindalr: "Bread grass my grandchild! The geflaerings used to harvest it to make bread."

Jen: "What is bread and what is it for!"

Dianon: "It is an unsweetened cake my people used to eat! The gelfaerings were bread eaters!"

Roosack: "That still doesn't make sense!"

Keanyda: "Hasn't anyone notice how cold it's getting!"

Legoanis: "Keanyda's right and look at how gray and cloudy the sky is getting!"

Kayda: "I don't get it but it seems the more closer we get to Cryst the more cloudy and cold it becomes!"

Jan: "Let's not worry about that now! Cryst is straight ahead!"

The gelflings see Cryst, steer their leevros to it, and land near the town gate. Kindalr dismounts his leevro first and goes up to the gate which is somewhat rusted but still moveable.

Kindalr: "Jen, Keanyda, I need your help in opening this gate."

Jen and Keanyda go up to the gate and, with kindalr, push it open. The gate's hinges makes a mournful creaking sound. The three gelflings look inside and see that despite a few cracks and crumbles the buildings look in good condition. Kira dismounts from her leevro, goes up to the gate and looks in the city. She feels a slight, cold, breeze brush against her face.

Kira: "Maybe we should put on something warm before we enter." 

Kindalr: "There are some extra cloaks on Keanyda's leevro. We will all need them."

Keanyda: "I don't get it. Why is it so cold on there?"

Kindalr: "It is said that the spirits of the crystians are still roaming in the city and the coldness is the presence of them."

Jen: "Then, Cryst is really haunted?"

Kindalr: "Maybe, but then it's only a legend."

Kira has returned to the leevros to get the cloaks Kindalr suggested. She sees Dianon shaking with fear and goes up to comfort her.

Kira: "It's alright Dianon. You have friends to help you."

Dianon: "My parents always told me the sad tale of how Cryst died from crying. It about how the Queen failed to save a child from taking his own life."

Kira: "What is a queen?"

Dianon: "A female ruler of a country. All the gelfling tribes used to be ruled by queens. The male ruler is called a king and, sometimes, a consort; the husband of a queen."

Kira: "Will you tell me this story?"

Dianon: "If only we had enough time for it but I can tell you this. The story was only meant to teach children that if they let sorrow take control of their lives they will never have fulfillment."

Kira: "Then why are you afraid of Cryst?"

Dianon: "There are other tales that takes place after Cryst died from the Plague of Tears. One of them is about a merchant and a minstrel who discover the people of Cryst dead and seeing their ghosts wandering the streets with tears running down from their eye sockets. The to visitors were so scared that they ran away, screaming."

Kira is silent for a while then speaks to Dianon.

Kira: "I'm sure there is a good explanation for these legends."

Kira sees Kindalr signaling her to hurry up with the cloaks.

Part 3 

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has entered the town, looking for the sixth Crystal Fragment. Jen is using the Shard as a guide to the fragment, Kindalr is telling Kira, Jan, Roosack and Kayda about what Cryst was like before the plague. Keanyda, Legoanis, and Dianon are keeping watch for danger.

Jan: "You say Cryst was one of the gathering towns of all the gelfling tribes?"

Kindalr: "Oh yes Jan. Many gelflings came here to trade, tell stories, sing, sell their artwork, and celebrate in the town's festivals."

Kira: "What kind of festivals did they have here in Cryst, grandfather?"

Kindalr: "So many festivals like birthdays, weddings, holidays, harvest calibrations, and most of all just for the fun."

Kayda: "Cryst is a lot bigger than all of the towns in the sanctuary."

Kindalr: "Cryst is the biggest gelfling town in all of Thra. It was first built just to be a capitol of a gelfling tribe but later it became an ideal place for all major gelfling activities."

Roosack: "If only we can find a clue to what made the crystians sad enough to die."

Kindalr: "I'm sure we can learn from the town's archives that's where they store all the records and history of Cryst."

Kira: "Would this archive be in a library?"

Kindalr: "A very good place to look Kira but best place to find out the mystery would be the palace which is in the center of this city because it seems Jen is leading us there."

Jen: "Actually it's the Shard that's leading us there. The Sixth fragment is inside the palace."

Dianon overhears Jen and catches up with him.

Dianon: "Jen, if the fragment really is at the palace... Well... I..."

Jen: "Yes."

Dianon: "Well... It's just... I don't know. I'm just so scared!"

Jan: "Dianon, we haven't met any ghosts yet. So what if there aren't any?"

Dianon: "It's true there are ghost here. Weeping ghost. There all around us, watching. You can't see them, you only feel them and we are feeling them now."

Roosack: "All I feel is the cold in this town."

Dianon: "That's how you feel the ghosts of Cryst, Their cold presence."

Jan: "Dianon, I like you very much but this ghost thing is very irritating."

Kindalr: "Dianon has good reason to fear Cryst as all geflaerings do. The loss of Cryst was a sharp blow to them and all they have left of it's legacy are the tales told by adventurers who dare entered this sad empty city and experienced horrors not even the skeksis have seen. If there are really ghosts here then they must know about the Sixth Fragment of the Crystal and that we must retrieve it in order to save Thra. The best we can do for now is to show them our good intentions and pay homage to those who died here for their deaths were more peaceful than those who were slaughtered by the garthim."

A faint sad moan is heard in the wind and quickly fades.

Part 4

The Crystal Shard Fellowship have arrived at the palace. They are standing in front of a large, knob less, door that leads into the palace. Kindalr is trying to figure out how to open it. Jen is studying the Crystal Shard. Kira & Kayda are passing food out to the fellowship. Roosack and Jan are studying the structures of the surrounding buildings. Keanyda & Legoanis are keeping watch. Dianon is salvaging what's left of her courage.

Kira comes and hands Dianon a couple of dried roots and sees she is somewhat pale.

Kira: "Dianon."

Dianon: "Gasp! Oh. Kira, it's just you. What do you want?"

Kira: "I brought you something to eat. Are you hungry?"

Dianon: "Well, right now I can't even think of food. I'm still so upset of this place. It's very dangerous here and if we're not careful..."

Kira: "Dianon listen to me. I know you're a trained master officer, dedicated to protecting what's left of our race but this is just the first time you ventured so far from Leesgoak. It's only natural to be afraid when your so far from home the first time. It was the same for me and Jen when we set out to heal the Dark Crystal."

Dianon: "Yes I know that but this is the first time I've been in Cryst, a haunted city full of weeping ghosts who will make you cry to death if you stay in their city for to long."

Kira: "Dianon, do you really believe in those stories?"

Dianon: "Of course I do. If they really didn't happen why would they tell such stories?"

Kira: "Maybe that's it, what happened in those stories aren't true. Dianon we've been in Cryst a lot longer than anyone else and so far, not a single ghost has appeared before us. It all depends on the facts of reality Dianon."

Dianon: "Are you saying that the tales of haunted Cryst are lies?"

Kira: "Or that may have been exaggerated. Whatever the storytellers learned here must be what scared them and tried to warn others not to visit this place anymore."

Dianon feels a little angered by Kira's counseling but also feels less afraid.

Dianon: "Kira, my friend, I thank you for sharing your wisdom with me but for now may we please change the subject?"

Kayda and Jan run up to Kira and Dianon.

Kayda: "Kindalr is having trouble trying to open the door he wants you to contact Aughra with your telecrystal."

Kira and Dianon get up and go to the door where a frustrated Kindalr is still trying to open it.

Kira: "What is wrong grandfather?"

Kindalr: "It's those runes framing the doorway they say to go though the door without opening it."

Dianon: "How do we solve such a riddle?"

Kindalr: "I've tried everything from chanting to meditating to waving my hands with no success. That's why I want to talk to Aughra to see if she can give me some clues or hints to this riddling door."

Kira gives Kindalr her telecrystal and he looks into it and the image of Aughra appears in it.

Aughra: "Who is... Ah Kindalr old friend, what do you want of me?"

Kindalr: "Hello my old teacher. So far we're on the verge of recovering the sixth fragment but we run into a problem. We' are in the geflaering capital of Cryst and camped on the doorstep of the palace. The door is sealed and their is a written riddle outlining the doorframe and I tried everything without success. I'm hoping you can help me solve this problem."

Aughra: "Humph. Show me the runes."

Kindalr holds the telecrystal up to the door frame. Aughra studies the runes for a little while. Then talks to Kindalr.

Aughra: "Are you sure you tried everything?"

Kindalr: "Yes Aughra, everything you taught me I used to open this door."

Aughra: "Even music?"

Kindalr: "Music? You never taught me anything about music."

Aughra: "Never had to. Know already about music you did."

Kindalr: "Well, I'm not a good singer as I used to be."

Kira: "I can sing."

Jan: "So can I."

Kayda: "I can play instruments."

Kira: "We will need Jen and his forked pipe as well. Jen, come here! We need you!"

Jen looks up and hears Kira calling him. He puts the Crystal Shard away and goes to the palace door."

Jen: "What's wrong Kira?"

Kira: "Nothing, we together, can't handle without your help. We're going to try to open this door again, with music, and we need you to play your fork pipe with us.

Jen: "So what song are we singing?"

Kindalr: "Aughra, do you know the song that opens this door?"

Aughra: "What? You didn't see notes on door frame?"

Kindalr takes a closer look at the frame and sees some smaller runes underneath the bigger ones.

Kindalr: "Ah, yes, this will do very well for us. Everyone listen. I found a song that may be the key to the door. I know that some of you can read music notes but for those who can't I will guide them. Kira & Jan will be the vocalist, Jen and Kayda will be the instrumentals, and I will compose."

Kindalr pick up a small stick from the ground, Kayda takes a tambourine like drum from pouch, hanging from his shoulder, and Jen take his forked pipe from his pocket. Kira and Jan clear there throats and test their voices. Kindalr holds the stick like a baton."

Kindalr: "All ready then? Away we go now."

The song begins and Dianon, Roosack, Keanyda, and Legonis look on.

Roosack: "Such a beautiful melody. It seems somewhat familiar though."

Dianon: "It is Anthem of Cryst. It is about the value of Joy, Kindness, and peace. It was sung at the start of festivals, holidays, sports events, and worship. Most of my tribe thought it was lost when Cryst died.

Legoanis: "Now it is found again."

Keanyda: "It can be the anthem for all the gelfling tribes."

Dianon: "It's strange but the song seems to be making me forget my fear of this place."

The song come to an end and the runes on the doorframe disappear. The door sinks into the ground, allowing the gelflings to enter the palace.

Kindalr: "Well done my friends. Kira, you voice sounded so natural. Jen, your a master of wood flutes. Jan and Kayda, if only your music teachers saw you then. Not only we succeeded in gaining entrance to the palace but you sang the Song of Cryst that was thought to have been lost."

Kindalr pauses a bit, then answers.

Kindalr: Well, now we got this obstacle out of our way let's move on."

As the gelflings enter the palace a faint sobbing is heard in the distance, rekindling Dianon's fears a little.

Part 5

The Crystal Shard Fellowship is about to find the Sixth Crystal Fragment. Kindalr has learned from Aughra that she was the one who made the door to the palace. Jen is guiding the other gelflings, with the Shard, though the palace.  
Jan and Kayda are studying the song they copied from the palace door frame, Roosack is awed by the artistry in the floor, walls, and ceiling, Legoanis and Keanyda are keeping watch, Kira and Dianon are talking with Aughra about Dianon's fear of Cryst.

Kira: "And that's her problem with Cryst. She listen to so many of the stories told by the past visitors that she can barely grasp the fact that all of them were just exaggerated."

Dianon: "I lost a little bit of my fear when Kira counseled me but after that last sad moan in the wind... well... I don't know."

Aughra: "Humph. Still, some fact in the stories there is. Cyst may have suffered from a broken heart but not all of it's townsfolk may have died."

Dianon: "You mean there maybe some who might have survived?"

Aughra: "Don't Know I do. Were all the Crystians there when their city fell to the Plague of Tears?"

Kira and Dianon stare at each other for a little while then turn back to the telecrystal.

Kira: "We got to go Aughra. Thank you for your wisdom."

Aughra: "Hope enough for you it is."

Kira puts away her telecrystal and she and Dianon and go up to Kindalr tell him what they learned from Aughra.

Kira: "Grandfather, we just had a talk with Aughra about Dianon's fear and she told us that some of the Crystians might have survived the plague."

Legoanis and Keanyda come to report to Dianon.

Legoanis: "Captain, there is something following us. We can't see it but it sounds like voices far behind us."

A faint moan is heard, far behind them, coming down the hall. Their is a moment of silence in the air.

Dianon: "Jen, how close are we to the fragment?"

Jen: "According to the Shard it is just down this hall."

Jan: "What will we do if it is a ghost?"

Kayda: "Well we just can't stand here."

Roosack: "Let's hide behind those two doors until it passes us."

The gelflings open the door and walk in a room with a large stone sarcophagus in the middle. and a pillar with an old book on top.

Kindalr: "Close the doors but don't shut it. leave it ajar enough to see what this thing, that's following us, is.

Keanyda and Legoanis do what Kindalr says. Kindalr examines the sarcophagus and sees a tablet of gelfling runes on it.

Kindalr: "Well then, it seem we're in the tome of Lady Avilrre; Queen of the Geflaer Tribe."

Dianon eyes widen and kneels before the sarcophagus, chanting.

Kira: "Dianon, what's wrong?"

Kindalr: "It's alright granddaughter. It is a prayer of forgiveness. Dianon is apologizing to Queen Avilrre for stumbling into her tome. Now let's see what answers we can find in her diary."

Kindalr goes to the pillar and opens the book to read it's contents.

Kindalr: "This book is about the last days of Queen Avilree and what caused the Plague of tears. It all started, 40 years ago, when the people of Cryst were celebrating the births of ten new babies. Then two travelers came to Cryst with a strange looking person and asked to see the queen. The travelers were brought fourth to her and that told her how they found this stranger running in a field crying. They stopped the stranger and asked what was troubling him but it couldn't answer. The travelers notice that despite the stranger was the same height of a gelfling, some of the stranger's features were not gelfling. He had an extra finger on each hand, his ears were round instead of pointed, and his face was somewhat flatter. The two travelers decided to take the stranger to the nearest town to get him some help. The queen thought this person was an escaped victim of the skeksis so she took him by the hand to dreamfast but she saw in his mind a very different story. The stranger was a child who came from a faraway place that was colonized by his people who called themselves humans. They came from another world that circles only one sun and they are almost big as the skeksis. Their culture is so different that it is even strange to skeksis culture. There are other things that these humans have are very alien and quite bizarre such as exotic machines that run on strange power sources.

Roosack: "This story is amazing. Could these humans be related to the urskeks?"

Kindalr: "No Roosack. The book says the humans were far different from them and although they had great powers they made many mistakes in there use. After the dreamfastning Avilree learn the stranger was a human child and it suffered great pain from his parents."

Kira: "What did his parents punished him for."

Kindalr: "No, they didn't scolded him they brutalized him out of there anger for something that was there fault. The child's parents did this many times, taking their anger out on their only son. Finally the child manage to escape and run away far from the colony only to get himself lost. Tired, hurt, starving, and lonely the child wandered farther and farther until he met the travelers and they welcomed him to go to Cryst. The queen sent scouts for any signs of humans who were looking for the child and after three days they found two of them driving an odd giant beastless wagon. One of the humans went into a rage and attacked one of the scouts and the other scouts charged at the human to subdue it. The scouts learned that the two humans were the child's parents and they were looking for him so the scouts escorted them to Cryst where Queen Avilree was showing the child all of the city. The human mother angrily demanded her son be given to her but Queen Avilree refused because she knew that the mother only wanted to abuse her son. The father made some vulgar threats at the queen and drew out a long leather chord from his waist and lashed out at her. One of the guards came in between, defecting the blows with a gauntlet and severing the father's hand with a knife. The humans' anger turned into fear when several armored gelflings surrounded them with spears and crossbows. The queen ordered the human parents to be locked up and interrogated with dramfastning and the queen took the traumatized child under her wing to rehabilitate him."

Kayda: "This is a fine tale Kindalr but what about the plague of tears?"

Kindalr: "It starts when the two adult humans finaly escape from Cryst to return to their colony. When Queen Avilree learns of this she puts the city under a state of alert in case the humans return with many more. The child, still traumatized by his parents, wanted to take his own life for his will to live was shattered by the abusive parents. The queen tried to prevent this with kindness, gentleness, love, Joy. She took the child to see performances in the theaters, to hear the music in the concert halls, to parties, events, games but to no avail. Finaly, the child killed himself when he jumped out of a bedroom window on the seventh floor of the palace and his body smashed on the ground in the courtyard. Many gelflings grieved for the loss but Queen Avilree mourned the most. Of all she did to bring happiness to the boy had failed and her heart was shattered. Avilree and many gelflings wept for days until a sickness came over Cryst. One by one the crystians began to die despite the efforts of the healers and the wise elders to cure the illness they called the Plague of Tears. The last gelflings, who couldn't be buried, died in their own beds and Cryst be came a tomb. As of the humans, they were never seen again."

As Kindalr closes the book their is a long silence as the gelflings bow their heads. Then Kira speaks out.

Kira: "I know some of us are upset but let's not mourn too much. What happened here was long in the past and all we can do now is learn from it."

Kayda: "But it's still so disturbing. What creatures are these humans and why are they here?"

Kinadalr: "That is a question that will have to wait. We still have much to do and time will soon be against us"  
Keanyda: "Kindalr, there's something at the doors."

The gelflings turn to see the doors open and a female gelfling enters the room. Her skin is pale, her eyes are bloodshot, her eyelids are bluish, and her dress is tattered. She looks at all of the gelflings and sees Dianon and approaches her.

Crystian: "You... geflaer... like me."

Dianon draw a knife from her belt and points it at the crystian.

Dianon: "Stay away from me!"

The crystian draws back from Dianon, realizing she scared her.

Crystian: "You... all gelfling... like me?"

Kindalr: "Yes we are gelflings just like you."

The crystian kneels to the floor and sobs with grief. Kira goes up to the crystian to comfort her.

Kira: "It's alright now. You're not alone anymore. We're here to help you."

The crystian grabs Kira's hand to dreamfast and Kira becomes wide eyed and still like stone.

Dianon: "Kira what is happening! Let go of her you ghoul!"

Jen: "Wait, look, Kira's coming out of it."

Kira begins to vibrate and squints her eyes and bares her teeth as she mentally struggles with the crystian and breaks free of her hold. The crystian huddles in a corner as Kira lies on the floor, catching her breath. Jen, Kayda, and Dianon rush to help Kira.

Jen: "Kira, are you alright?"

Kira: "Yes Jen just let me rest a bit."

Dianon: "By the Wall of Destiny Kira! That thing could of sucked your soul from you!"

Kira: "No Dianon, she's not a ghost, her name is Evwwen and she is one of some who were away at the time the Plague of Tears befell Cryst. When they saw their capitol dead they decided to stay in mourning for the loss of their loved ones. Their were no actual survivors. Aughra told me and Dianon about this so Cryst is still inhabited."

Kayda: "But why did Evwwen attack you cousin?"

Kira: "She didn't. She wanted to tell me her name and her life story but she can barely talk. Her throat is badly irritated from too much sobbing. I couldn't stand what she was putting in my head so I showed her my life as well and my involvement in healing the Dark Crystal."

Jan: "Where are the other remaining crystians? Are they hiding?"

Kira: "There outside the palace. They have been watching us since we entered Cryst. They think we know something of a giant rock that crashed in to the palace."

Roosack: "And we do. Kira did you tell Evwwen of our quest for the Fragments?"

Kira: "Not yet. I was about to when she lost her hold on me."

Dianon: "Let me tell her, please."

The fellowship let Dianon dreamfast with Evwwen. Evwwen sees Dianon's home in the Leesgaok sanctuary and how she met Kira, Jen, and Roosack. She sees Dianon and the other six gelflings volunteering to Join Kira and Jen on their quest for the fragments of the Crystal of Truth and their adventures. She feels Dianon's fear of Cryst because of the stories told to her. The dreamfastning ends and Evwwen huddles in Dianon's arms.

Dianon: "I'm sorry I was afraid of you. I'm sorry of what you and your people went through when that poor boy took his own life. You all suffered too long. The time has come to start over and live again. May our capitol of the Geflaer be a city of peace and celebration again."

The fellowship gather around Evwwen to comfort her.

Part 6

The Crystal Shard Fellowship have reached a large door that leads into a library. Jen sees the Sixth Fragment and touches it with the Crystal Shard. The fragment disappears into the Shard and a bright light flashes where the sixth fragment was. SkekShod the Treasurer and UrYod the Numerologist appear from the light. Evwwen cowards from the skeksis but Kira and Dianon reassures her that everything is alright. SkekShod and UrYod merge to form Shodyod the Urskek.

Shodyod: "Well done gelflings. Not only you recovered the sixth fragment but also braved the dead town of Cryst and found the real truth of it's tales of sorrow."

Jen: "You know all about what happened to Cryst?"

Shodyod: "Yes Jen. All of our urRu half knew what happened so UrIm the healer set out to help the crystians and heal them of their shattered hearts but he arrived to late for the plague of tears claimed almost most of the crystians. When he returned and told us what happened we sang a chant of cold and rest to let those who were sick sleep.

Dianon: "You mean no one really died from the plague?"

Shodyod: "Of course many died before UrIm could save them. That's why we chanted this coldness to preserve what was left of the crystians. Now the time draws near to awake them and heal their hearts from the sadness they suffered."

Roosack: "Is that why it's so cold here? We thought it was the chill of ghosts."

Jan: "In the tomb of Queen Avilree we found a book that tells that the Plague of Tears was caused by an outwardly race called humans. Do you know anything about them?"

Shodyod: "Yes we all did. They came from a star, which is very far, to your world to explore like we urskeks did. There powers are not like ours but very strong and they are divided within themselves between good and evil so their choice to follow which is more harder than for the urskeks. The humans know some of the difference between good and evil but sometimes they forget."

Keanyda: "Then we have another enemy to deal with. It's bad enough with the dark urskek."

Shodyod: "You won't have to worry about them. They are long gone now but their colony still remains."

Shodyod sees Evwwen and goes up to her.

Shodyod: "You and your people need healing young gelfling. Let me help you."

Shodyod lifts his right hand and a beam of light flashes from his hand to Evween's eyes. Her skin becomes peach color, her hair turns orange, her eyes become greenish, her lips become reddish, her throat is soothed and her heart becomes healed. She speaks without any trouble.

Evwwen: "Sob. Thank you. Ohh thank you noble urskek."

Shodyod: "This is only a start. Ungim will be hear soon to help your people to finaly recover and live with joy again."

Shodyod then turns to Kira.

Shodyod: "As for you Kira I have someone who is anxious to see you."

Shodyod opens his cloak and a ball of yellow fur leaps out and lands in Kira's arms, barking happily.

Kira: "Fizzgig! What are you doing here?"

Shodyod: "A friend of yours came to Aughra's to ask if anyone could look after your pet while she was busy with two baby gelflings. I came likewise and offered to deliver it back to it's proper master which is you of course."

Kira: "Yrda! Oh no. I forgotten all about her. I hope she and the babies are O.K."

Shodyod: "As for you Jen look in the Shard to see where you will find the Seventh Fragment of the Crystal."

Jen holds up the Crystal Shard and sees an image of domes in a wide forest clearing.

Jen: "They look a little bit like Aughra's old dome but the designs on them are very odd looking."

Shodyod: "That is the colony of the humans were the Seventh Fragment fell."

Kayda: "We have to go there? Avilree's book says those humans are evil! Just like the Skeksis. Look what they done to Cryst!"

Kindalr: "No Kayda. Shodyod said the humans are no longer here and we don't need to worry about them. Isn't that so Shodyod?"

Shodyod: "It is true the Humans, here, are gone but they never left Thra."

Legoanis: "What? I don't understand."

Shodyod: "My Skeksis half knows some of the answers but I'm afraid you will all half to find them for yourselves."

Dianon: "And so we shall."

The eight gelflings turn to Dianon in response to her reply.

Dianon: "My friends we all been finding answers to our questions ever since we set out to recover the Crystal Fragments. Look what we are now. Look what we are becoming. I used to be afraid of Cryst because of the exaggerated tales brought by previous adventurers. Legoanis befriended a giant we thought was hostile. And Kira and Jen, saviors of our world, thought they were the only ones left and they discovered our sanctuaries of Keece-yek and Leesgaok. I am going to this human colony to find an answer to these questions; Why didn't the humans return to Cryst to take back their child? Are all of these humans evil? What do they know about the Crystal of Truth?"

All the gelflings nod their heads in agreement and Kindalr and Kira smile with pride at hearing Dianon's speech.

Chapter 9

Part 1

The Fellowship of the Crystal Shard are flying to where the Seventh Crystal Fragment is located: a place that was occupied by an alien race called humans. The fellowship know little about these creatures from another world despite what they learned about them in Cryst. Evwwen, a geflaer from Cryst has joined the nine making the gelflings 10. Jen and Kindalr are talking with Aughra about what she knows about these humans. Kira is flying with Jan and trying to keep Fizzgig under control. Dianon is teaching Evwwen how to fly a leevro. Roosack, Keanyda, and Legoanis are scouting for danger.

Aughra: "Yes Jen I seen these humans but never came close to them. Their powers are based on the bizarre machines they always use. Some big, some small. Depended on these machines the humans seem to be and too much."

Jen: "What are these machines Aughra?"

Aughra: "Don't know. Many kinds of machines. Some for carrying, some for building, some for digging into the ground, tearing down trees, and killing animals. Too many machines these humans have and use."

Kindalr: "It sounds like these humans really are dangerous."

Aughra: "Don't know. Not all humans dangerous maybe."

Jan: "Kira are you sure your Fizzgig will be safe in your hood?"

Kira: "Fizzgig has flown with me on these leevro before, haven't you Fizzgig?"

Fizzgig: "Wwwwiiiinnnneee!"

Dianon: "That's it Evwwen. With a little more practice you'll be more used to leevro flying."

Evwwen: "How long have you flown on leevros Dianon?"

Dianon: "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! I'm the captain of the Leesgoak Sky Guard. I've been patrolling the sanctuary skies for five years."

Evwwen: "That's not what I asked."

Legoanis: "Captain, there is a number of odd, looking, domes in the distance. It could be the human colony."

Dianon: "Let's fly a little lower to see what they look like when the colony comes in full view."

Keanyda: "Do you think that all of these humans were evil as the two who visited Cryst?"

Kayda: "I don't know, they may have been worse than the skeksis."

Roosack: "Indeed. These humans may had powers not even the skeksis could imagine."

Kira: "At least the colony is deserted, so Shodyod says."

Dianon: "Let's not take such chances. When we arrive we'll arm ourselves with crossbows for protection."

Jen: "Dianon, there are only a few of us who know how to use such weapons."

Roosack: "Don't worry Jen. I, Myself am an expert so I'll give you a crash course."

Jan: "So am I brother. I learned how to use a crossbow for the tournaments."

Keanyda: "Legoanis and I are skilled in crossbows so we'll give you some training as well."

Kayda: "I only shoot the tournament type of that weapon so I'll need some improvement."

Dianon: "Well it seems that over half of our fellowship can used crossbows, and those who can't?"

Jen, Kira, Kindalr, and Evwwen raise there left hands.

Dianon: "Alright, those who want to be trained will receive the basic course as soon we reach our destination."

Legoanis: "Captain, there it is."

Dianon turns and sees the human colony, a complex of domes and a few weird looking buildings surrounded by jungles. The gelflings stare at it with awe, wonder and fear.

Dianon: "What kind of place is this?"

Part 2

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has landed near the colony. Dianon, Kira, and Keanyda are scouting to map the area while the rest are waiting in a clearing. Roosack and Jan are teaching Jen and Evwwen how to use crossbows. Kayda and Kindalr are looking after the leevros. Kira finds a trail leading to the colony an signals Dianon and Keanyda.

Dianon: "One thing for sure this is no landstrider path."

Keanyda: "Look at the tree stump along side the path. It looks like a stampede of garthim went through here."

Kira: "The Garthim didn't have claws that big."

Dianon: "Kira call Jen and tell him we found a clearing to the colony. I'm going to fly to get an overview of this trail."

Keanyda: "What shall I do captain?"

Dianon: "Help Kira."

Dianon opens her wings and flies over the trees. Back at the fellowship camp, Jen has made contact with Kira, listening on what the scouting party has found.

Jen: "So are we going to use this trail to reach the human colony?"

Kira: "I don't know. I think it's a bad idea because we could get spotted in the open if there are humans in that place."

Jen: "What does Dianon say about using the trail?"

Kira: "Nothing yet. She's flying to get an overview near the complex. Wait she signaling and coming down."

Kira goes to Dianon to ask her about the path.

Kira: "Jen what's to Know if we intend to follow the trail to the colony."

Dianon: "I looked around a little bit but didn't see no activity there. The place looks so lifeless and empty."

Kira: "What about the trail?"

Dianon: "Well, it would make our journey a lot easier but we should stay in the jungle to keep safe and keep close to the path to use as a guide line to the colony."

Kira: "My thoughts exactly."

Jen has been listening in on Kira and Dianon's conversation.

Jen: "Well the sooner we get started the better. Oh, Kira, will you come by the camp soon? Fizzgig is having a lot of fun pestering the leevros."

Jen turns and sees fizzgig yapping at an angry leevro.

Kira: "Oh that sparater. Jen I can't get back soon. You should be able to take care of fizzgig yourself. Just remember what I taught you, okay?"

Jen: "Well alright, see you at the colony."

Jen goes to Fizzgig and gives him an order.

Jen: "Fizzgig, doeyay suvano!"

Fizzgig sadly behaves and crawls to Jen's feet.

Part 3

The six gelflings have met up with the scouting party near the trail and follow close to it until the arrive at the human colony. The place looks that it has been on their world for quite some time and it is a neglected derelict. The colony has 13 metal domes; one big, three medium, and nine small. As the Crystal Shard fellowship enter the colony and look around they notice that some of the domes have been damaged. One dome has a large hole that was blown outward, another was torn open, the third was burned to the ground, four more is riddled with small holes, and the eighth is burned and torn open.

Jen: "What in the world happened here? This place reminds me of when the garthim attacked your village Kira."

Kira: "I remember Jen. Maybe this is why the humans are no longer here. Something attacked this place."

Dianon: "I think we all have the same idea of who did it but lets not jump to conclusions. Let's look around for..."

Jan is heard screaming at something behind one of the small domes.

Kayda: "Jan what is it!"

Jen: "Are you alright sister?"

Legoanis: "What is that!"

The gelflings see a large skeleton lying on the ground. Kindalr crouches down to examine it.

Kira: "Be careful grandfather."

Kindalr: "Oh don't worry grandchild. This pile of bones is very dead for sure."

Roosack: "Could that have been a human?"

Kindalr: "I do believe it was. It's bone structure is almost similar to a gelfling's. The skull is more round and on each hand there is an extra finger like the Book of Avilree described. Look at the clothing this skeleton is wearing."

Keanyda: "It's nothing like any of us wear."

Kindalr: "True but look at the large blood stained cut going across the chest. Only a garthim claw could inflict that kind of damage."

Jan: "You mean it was the garthim who attacked this place!"

Just then Fizzgig is heard barking and growling at something behind another small dome.

Kira: "Sigh, oh Fizzgig, what now?"

Kira goes to Fizzgig to see what he is barking at and turns white with fear at what see sees.

Jen: "Kira, are you alright?"

Jen goes up to Kira and finds what she and Fizzgig found. He yelps with shock and calls the other to come over.

Jen: "Everybody come here! You all got to see this! It's a nightmare!"

The other gelflings run up to Jen and Kira and see the remains of a garthim soldier lying on the ground.

Roosack(Shocked): "Gasp!"

Keanyda(Frighten): "Aaaaaaaahhhhh!"

Dianon: "Oh no."

Evwwen: "Let's get out of here!"

Kindalr: "This answers Jan's question. The garthim did attack the human colony."

Kindalr crouches down to examine the garthim remains.

Kira: "Grandpa no! Don't touch it!"

Jan: "Don't you remember what those monsters did to our race!"

Kindalr: "Kira! Jan! Enough! Jen, Dianon, take the others outside the colony and make a campfire. The warmth should help ease there traumas."

Jen gathers Kira and Jan into his arms, Dianon takes Keanyda and Roosack by the hand and leads them out of the colony. Kayda and legoanis stay behind with Kindalr as they have some curiosity of the dead garthim.

Kayda: "Master Kindalr, how could this garthim still be here? Acording to Jen all the garthim fell apart and vanished when he healed the Dark Crystal."

Kindalr: "That, young Kayda, is a question I'm asking myself. Now look at the shell armor of this beast. It is riddled with the same kind of small holes like the ones on some of these domes. It's like something punctured the armor, killing the beast."

Legoanis: "What kind of weapon could kill the garthim?"

Kindalr: "That is another question I'm asking myself. One thing is for sure, the humans did have weapons powerful enough to kill a monster like the garthim."

Just then, Dianon renters the colony and runs up to the three gelflings.

Dianon(gasping for air): "Has anyone seen Evwwen?"

Legoanis: "I thought she ran back outside."

Dianon: "She's not outside the colony. She must have ran somewhere else in it. Nobody saw where she ran off because we were still in shock of that dead garthim."

Kindalr: "Get the other gelflings in here to form search parties. Evwwen is lost!"

Part 4

The Crystal Shard Fellowship have broken into teams to find Evwwen. Jen, Kira, Roosack, and Fizzgig are looking in the north side. Kayda, Jan, and Kindalr are searching the south side. Dianon, Keanyda, and Legoanis are searching the east.  
During the search the parties find many human corpses and several garthim remains. Kayda sees one of the skeletons is holding something that is a little similar to the crossbow he's carrying.

Kayda: "Could this be one of the weapons that killed the garthim here?"

Kindalr: "Perhaps but don't mess with it for if it can kill a garthim it maybe too powerful for us to wield."

Jan: "Shouldn't we take it with us to find out what it's called?"

Kindalr: "No! No, that is a bad idea. You're right Jan that we don't know what it is and that is why it's dangerous. Perhaps sometime in the future, after our quest is over, we'll explore more of this place with gelflings suited to the job. For now we have a lost gelfling to find as well as the Seventh Crystal Fragment."

Kira, Jen, and Roosack have found a machine with four wheels on the ground. To Kira and Roosack it looks like some kind of large wagon.

Roosack: "I have never seen a wagon like this before. It's mostly made of metal."

Kira: "That enclosed booth looks like where the driver sits but how do you hook up the animals to pull it?"

Jen: "I think this wagon runs on mechanical power rather than beast power. Like Aughra's old planetarium machine for example."

Kira: "Oh, yes, you told about that long ago Jen."

Jen climbs a ladder that leads up to the booth and sees a handle that he thinks will open the booth. Jen tugs on the handle but the booth does not open. Then the handle bends in his hand, the booth opens and Jen falls off the ladder but Roosack catches him with all four arms.

Roosack: "Are you alright Jen?"

Jen: "I'm O.K. Just scratched my hand on that handle. Let's get back to finding Evwwen and the Seventh Fragment."

Roosack puts Jen down and Kira bandages Jen's hand with some healing moss. Dianon, Keanyda, and Legoanis are studying the remains of a burned down dome.

Legoanis: "Strange that this structure was made of metal yet it was destroyed by fire."

Keanyda: "What kind of fire can be hot enough to burn metal to ashes?"

Dianon: "Most of my academic training was in military tactics however I did learn that metal does not burn, it melts into a liquid very similar to molten lava. Take our armor and weapons for example. The master smiths melted metals to shape and mold them to make our swords and helmets and metal does not turn into ash but slag."

Just then a whimpering is heard in a nearby damaged dome. The Three gelflings run in to it and find Evwwen huddling in a corner. Dianon runs up to Evwwen and embraces her.

Dianon: "Oh Evwwen! Are you alright?"

Evwwen(sobbing): "I'm sorry I didn't mean to run away. Is the monster gone?"

Dianon: "Oh Evwwen, everything is alright. The garthim are dead. They're nothing but piles of shells now.  
I understand. We were all scared. Just stay with me and you will be alright."

A flapping noise is heard from outside then Kira and Jan enter.

Kira: "Any luck Dianon?"

Dianon: "Yes Kira, we finaly found her. She'll be alright while someone is with her."

Jan: "When both our parties had no luck they sent me and kira to check up on yours."

Kira: "Jen says the Shard is showing that the Seventh fragment is very close around this side of the colony. He and our two parties should be here anytime now."

The other four gelflings arrive and enter the dome to see that Evwwen has been found and O.K. The gelflings explore the domes furnishings and find them very bizarre.

Jan: "This looks like a bed but the mattress has a odd softness."

Kayda: "This table and the four chairs are designed with weird craftsmanship. They're not made out of wood, nor metal."

Roosack: "I found some books on this shelf but the writing in them are not understandable."

Legoanis: "If you think that is odd look at this thing. It looks like a large black box with a glass window in it."

Jen: "It could be a machine. Aughra said that the humans used a lot of different kinds of them."

Dianon: "Let's worry about these machines later. We do have a fragment to get don't we?"

Kira: "Dianon is right, lets go."

As the gelflings leave the small dome and enter a corridor leading to a medium dome Jan sees a small gray box with a glass circle in it, hanging from the ceiling.

Jan(Thinking): "Why do get the feeling that box was meant to be looking in the hall?"

Part 5

The gelflings enter the medium sized dome and find it is a lot different than the small dome. There are desks with chairs and bookshelves aligned on the walls and a large egg shaped chair in the middle of the floor.

Keanyda: "What was this place for?"

Jen: "The way I see it, this dome was for learning. Like in a library. I believe those books can tell us who these humans are and why they were here."

Roosack: "But Jen, it's like I said before. The books are written in a text no one could understand."

Jen: "It's alright Roosack. Aughra taught me some translation skills that might help me with these books."

Jen goes to one of the desks to read some of the books and Kindalr helps him with the translating. Jan sits in the large center chair and takes off one of her boots to remove the rocks in it. She places her left boot on the arm rest then a bright bluish beam of light flashes from the top of the chair to Jan's head and her face becomes blank. Kira, Dianon, and Legoanis turn and sees what is happening to Jan and rush to her side to save her.

Kira: "Jan! Jan! Get out of that chair!"

Dianon: "Wake up Jan! Wake up!"

Legoanis: "Jan, can you hear us!"

As the three gelflings try to shake Jan out of her trance Kira bumps Jan's boot off the arm rest then the chair turns off and Jan comes back to consciousness. The other gelflings see what was happening and goes up to Jan to see if she is alright.  
Roosack: "What in the name of the Crystal happened to you?"

Keanyda: "What did this chair do to Jan?"

Kayda: "What were you doing in that chair in the first place?"

Jen: "Are you alright sister? How do you feel?"

Kindalr: "All of you keep back! Give her some room to breathe. Now Jan can you tell us what happened when you sat in this chair?"

Jan: "I wanted to get the rocks out of my boot so I sat in this chair to do that. When I put my boot on this arm rest to get it out of the way that blue light shined on my head and everything went black. Then I heard these voices from every direction. They sounded like they were telling me things... about... things. Things like... like..."

Kayda: "Like what Jan?"

Jan: "Things like none of us have ever heard of before. It was all so strange. I even saw images and visions of things that I don't think Aughra never seen before."

Roosack: Oh Jan, what did that chair do to you?"

Kindalr: "Alright now that's enough worrying. Jan do you feel well to stand?"

Jan: "I'm a little fuzzy but I can walk with support."

Jan tries to stand as Jen and Roosack help her up.

Kindalr: "Jen you said that the Shard is telling us that the fragment is very close."

Jen: "Yes, it is in the large dome. The next corridor should take us there."

The ten gelflings exit the medium dome and enter the next corridor.

Evwwen: "Gosh Jan, didn't you feel any pain when you were entranced by that chair?"

Jan: "Now that you mentioned it I didn't feel anything at all, not even fear. The visions and voices didn't scare me at all even though they were bizarre."

The gelflings enter the large dome which is furnished with many tables, desks, and chairs and some of them have been smashed up as if there was a terrible battle.

Kayda: "I wonder what this place was for?"

Roosack: "Must have been for important things. This large dome looks like an important place."

Jan: "Yes it is. It was the control center of the colony."

The gelflings turn to Jan in response to her reply and sees her in another trance.

Jen: "Jan are you alright?"

Jan: "Yes brother I'm fine. Everything is clear to me now about this place. This colony is an exploration out post that was built here to study life on our world. The humans discovered our trinary sun and our planet 20 years ago and set up this colony to find out what this world was like compared to theirs. They took samples of plants, soils, minerals, and animals to study them in their laboratories. There were 22 people stationed here, that is almost 9 x 3 27. Three humans for each of the nine small domes. The three medium domes were learning, storage, science and medical. This large dome was used as the nerve center of the colony; Command, Security, Maintance, engineering, Communications, and archives."

Keanyda: "Listen to yourself Jan. That crazy chair must have done something to your brain."

Dianon: "Snap out of it Jan. You don't know what you're saying."

Kira: "Wait a minute. Jan give me your hand."

Kira dreamfasts with Jan and sees and hears what Jan has learned about the colony. Kira lets go of Jan's hand understanding what the chair did to her.

Kira: "Jan is O.K. The chair did nothing evil to her but she gained some knowledge about this colony and the humans from it."

Legoanis: "Gained knowledge from a chair? How?"

Jan: "That chair is an education device that transmits information to the brain of it's occupier. I'm sorry I know I'm not making any sense but I can't find any words to describe what I know."

Kindalr: "It's alright Jan. You probably don't understand all of the knowledge yet. You did mention archives in this dome. Where are they Jan?"

Jan points to a desk with a gray widowed box on it. Jan goes up to the desk, presses some buttons on the desk top, and the window glows and a picture of a female human appears in it. She is badly wounded and is sitting behind a damaged desk.

Woman: "To who it may concern, this may be the last log entry of Jennifer Mills. It's been two hours since they attacked us. Those who survived the slaughter were either taken as prisoners or just finished off. I'm the only one who escaped. It was so terrible. They came in swarms and besieged us and despite our well heavy, well disciplined resistance they overran us in just one day. I never seen anything like these creatures before. They looked like something right out of a sci- fi horror movie. We managed to take down a hundred of them but they still just kept coming. What did they want from us? Did have something to do with what the Coverdales found and what they did to their only son? It was two weeks ago when the Coverdales, our newest members of our outpost, joined the colony and I must admit they were so dysfunctional as a family. They were always punishing their little boy for their own mistakes and I gave them serious threats that I would take away their parental claim of him if they didn't stop abusing him. Two days latter the child wandered off from the colony and his parents became so mad that they stolen a landmaster to go out after him despite my orders to leave the search to security. "Another two days have passed and the Coverdales returned empty-handed plus the father seem to have lost one of his hands. They told this wild story that they found a medieval like town populated with elves and they were holding there son from them. The father tried to take his son back with force but a knight attacked him and cut his hand off. The Coverdales were taken as prisoners and their son was put in the care of a fairylike queen. I didn't know what to believe after such a tale. I had the Coverdales put in confinement under security and thought about sending out a scouting party to locate this elf town. "Three days later the real trouble began. This horde of crab like creatures came thundering out of the forest and circled the colony. We were all amazed and didn't know what to think. Were they some kind of predator looking for prey? Most of the animals seemed afraid of these creatures and ran off. We felt afraid ourselves but our zoologist, Michael, overcame his fear and went out to meet these monsters in peace. Then we found out they were monsters because one of them cleaved Michael in two with its claw! Felix, our chief of security, went out to confront them. He drew his semi-automatic pistol and fired at the creatures but the bullets just bounced of them. Then the giant crabs moved closer to the colony and Felix reloaded his gun with anti-armor bullets and gun down one of the beasts and killed it. Felix tried to get back inside but his head was slashed off by an avenging crab. The monsters began hacking away at the titanium hull of the bio-domes and they ripped them up as if they were paper. The security team rearmed their weapons with anti-armor bullets and fought the monsters with sheer valiance but it was no avail. The beast kept coming as if they meant to destroy our colony. One fighter used a gasoline bomb to stop a crab that was tearing into his cabin. the dome burst into flames but the fire did nothing to the monster.  
"The battle went on and we were loosing, some of the colonist were hacked to pieces, some were trampled, some were picked up and smashed on the ground or on the backs of other crabs. We still tried to hold our ground as we radioed for help from the Space Exploration Center but the crabs smashed down our antennae. As the battle ended there were only five survivors left, Mike, David, and Mr. & Misses Coverdale, and as for me I hid in a storage closet inside the warehouse. The crabs carried their prisoners away and now I'm alone here. What am I going to do? Will the S.E.C. send a rescue team for me? Perhaps I should go and find the elves that the Coverdales found. It would be a long walk but then.  
"Wait... there is that clicking sound again. The same one the crabs make..."

Suddenly, a garthim claw rips through a wall behind Jennifer and the garthim grabs her and pulls her out of the dome.

Jennifer: "Oh my God! No! Eeeeeeeeyaaaaaaaahhhh!"

As Jennifer disappears from the box's window and the sound of splattering blood is heard, followed by the sinister laughter of SkekUng the garthim master. The image in the box fades and the gelflings are silent with bewilderment.

Kayda: "I wonder what the battle looked like? This Jennifer did leave some loose ends in her story."

Roosack: "She said this was her last log entry. What is that?"

Kindalr: "Maybe that is what they call their diaries. The same way we record past events."

Keanyda: "Could there be other records to this place in that imaging box?"

Jan: "It's called a monitor. The humans use it view moving pictures."

Dianon: "More knowledge from the chair Jan? The way I see it were going to need more of it to understand this research outpost."

Legoanis: "Well I'm not going to sit in that chair to get my brains scrambled."

Jen: "We should worry about this place later. We need to get the seventh fragment and it's right outside next to us."

Jen exits the dome through a large tear in the wall and the other gelflings follow him. As they emerge from the command center dome they notice a human skeleton lying on the ground in dried blood stain clothes. Jan looks at it and sees the name tag bearing the name Jennifer Mills.

Part 6

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has finally found the Seventh Fragment. Lying next to an overturned machine wagon. Jen take the Shard and touches the fragment with it. The fragment disappears into the Shard and a bright light appears followed with SkekNa the slave master and UrNol the Herbalist emerging from it. The two merge to form NaNol the Urskek.

NaNol: "Good work gelflings. Only two fragments left to find. Now, what did you learn about this place?"

The gelflings look at each other for answers. Then Jan steps up to speak.

Jan: "I learned many things about these humans. They come from a singular star circled by nine planets. The Third planet the humans come from is called Earth. The power they have with their machines is called technology; a scientific study of mechanisms. Through technology, the humans created many machines; some to lift heavy objects, some to dig huge holes in the ground and mine minerals, some to cut down trees, some to fly like birds, some to build structures, some to create energies, some to ride on... I can go on for so long with this for the humans have many kinds of machines."

Kira: "Well, tell us what these humans are like. Do they have cultures like we do?"

Jan: "They have many cultures that are both the same and different from each other and they speak many different languages. The reason for this is because the humans have thousands of tribes and several species."

Kayda: "What kinds of species do the humans have Jan?"

Jan: "I don't know. it depends on their cultures, their skin color, the shape of their eyes and faces and that goes for the number of their tribes."

Roosack: "Are all of these tribes hostile?"

Jan: "No, some of them are good but some of the hostile ones are bad as the skeksis."

Dianon: "That could mean that some of the human tribes are at war with each other."

Jan: "Yes, some of them fight to gain power over the other tribes while some good humans fight for what is right. The humans are trying to make a critical choice to follow good or evil. It's been that way for thousands of their years."

Jan becomes dizzy and kneels to the ground. Jen and Kira try to make her comfortable.

Jan: "I can't say anymore. My head is spinning so fast I can barely think."

Kira: "It's alright Jan. You said enough for now."

Keanyda: "But what if these humans come back? That strange record said the colonist were waiting for a rescue team to save them from the garthim."

NaNol: "I Know the answer. Aughra was working in her observatory mapping the stars in the heaven when she saw a shooting star change it's course and land not far from the land of the geflaer tribe. She went to investigate and found the humans building their settlement in a clearing they made in the middle of this Jungle. After observing them for some time in her hideout she came to our valley and told us of what she found. We consulted about these humans for a while and came to an agreement that despite their powers they were not safe on Thra. My urRu half volunteered to go with Aughra as an emissary to the human colony but we arrived to late. We found the colony smashed by the garthim and most of the humans brutally killed in battle. Three days later, more humans came but too late to rescue the colony and left in fear of this world. Aughra and I looked around for clues to what these humans are but their books and recording machines were beyond our understanding. Aughra collected some books and small machines and took them to her observatory to research them. I returned to the valley and UrIm and I chronicled the events on what happened in Cryst and the Human Settlement."

Legoanis: " Did they learn something about the Dark Crystal?"

NaNol: "Even I can't answer that question but there are humans who leave the Earth to explore other worlds outside their star system mostly to learn about them."

Kindalr: "Whatever they came to Thra to Learn from us or compete with the skeksis for the Crystal they are gone and who know if or when they will return. In the mean time we got bigger fish to fry. The last two fragments of the Crystal of Truth awaits us."

Chapter 10

Part 1

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has left the colony two days ago and are now going on to find the Eighth Fragment of the Crystal of Truth. Jen, Jan, and Kindalr collected some books to study and learn about the humans. Dianon, Roosack, and Legoanis are scouting for food to replenish their supplies. Kira, Kayda, and Keanyda are concerned about the fellowship's morale. Evwwen is looking after Fizzgig. Kira steers her leevro near Kindalr to talk with him.

Kira: "Grandfather, there is something I want to tell you."

Kindalr: "What is it grandchild?"

Kira: Ever since our last two adventures the fellowship has become restless. Dianon has become very protective of Evwwen. Jan is still traumatized from that machine chair. Kayda seems somewhat distant. Jen, Roosack, and the two sky guards are fatigued from the past ordeals, and I'm not as calm as I used to be."

Kindalr: "Yes Kira, I understand what you are telling me but we can't rest now. There are two crystal fragments left and who knows how much time we have left. The Dark Urskek could have done more damage than we know by now. We can not rest until the Crystal of Truth is fully restored and the Urskek apprehend their renegade and bring him to justice."

Kira: "But Grandfather..."

Suddenly Kindalr becomes dizzy and accidentally steers his leevro into a dive.

Kira: "Grandpa!"

Kira dives her leevro after Kindalr to save him and the other gelflings follow her.

Kira: "Grandfather! Pull up! You're in a dive!"

Kindalr regains his senses and straightens out from the dive. The 10 gelflings land their leevros in a clearing next to a river and see if Kindalr is alright.

Dianon: "What happened Kindalr? Why did you go in that dive?"

Kayda: "Are you alright grandfather?  
That was some dive you made."

Kindalr: "I'm O.K. now. I felt a bit fatigued from the lack of rest."

Keanyda: "Now that you mentioned it sir all of us are lacking in energy. Our morale is not good as it was."

Roosack: "Next we will be going hungry. Our food supplies are getting low."

Legoanis: "What are we to do then? We've been scouting the over the land of anything that's edible without success."

Jan: "Are we to just give up and return to Leece-gaok in failure? Look how far we have come!"

Jen: "Giving up does sound like a good idea sister but you're right that we have go too far to do that. Some of you won't like what I'm about to suggest but I say we make camp here to recover our strength and find food."

The gelflings are silent until Kindalr replies to Jen's suggestion.

Kindalr: "Time is growing short but then we can't succeed without strength. Let pitch up our tents so we may relax for one full day, no more, no less."

The gelflings go to the leevros to unpack their tents. Kira, Jan, and Kayda go up to Jen to thank him for suggesting a rest day.

Kira: "That was very good Jen. We need a break after what we've been through."

Jan: "At least I'll have some time to study the books I took from the colony."

Kayda: "You can read those books Jan?"

Jan: "Yes, many of them are written in a language called English; the most complexed of the human languages."

Jen: "Listen everyone, there is something I need to tell all of you. Every time I touch the Shard on a crystal fragment, it vibrates with a sudden surge of power. Now look at this."

Jen shows the Crystal Shard to his three relatives.

Jen: "Do you remember how it used to be dark purple Kira? Well now it's more light pinkish. Where do the fragments disappear to when I try to collect them? Back at the castle? I don't think so."

Kayda: "Do you have an idea where the fragments go Jen?"

Jen: "Yes I do but I'm not saying what it is yet. But I do believe that every time we collect a fragment of the Crystal we're buying more time for Thra."

The three gelflings wonder about Jen's speech with puzzlement.

Part 2

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has set up camp and are enjoying the day. Jan, Jen, Kayda, and Kindalr are studying the humans' books. Kira is teaching Evwwen how to talk to animals. Roosack and Legoanis are sleeping in their tents. Dianon and Keanyda are exploring the forest for food.

Keanyda: "It's been a while since I tasted the flavor of spanda leaves."

Dianon: "We'll be lucky if we find some wild fruit like seegan bulbs, a very good desert."

Keanyda: "You mean like those?"

Dianon looks at what Keanyda is pointing at and sees a tree full of orange size blue grapes.

Dianon: "No, but close. Those are zeeva cherries and they taste even better than seegan bulbs."

Dianon and Keanyda go up to the zeeva tree to collect some of the large cherries. Keanyda sees some long white thick blades of grass growing near the tree.

Keanyda: "Look Captain, Keylas bud roots. They're used by the master cooks to flavor food."

Dianon: "So I've heard but I doubt they'll improve the taste of these zeeva berries. Let's gather some anyway."

Dianon collects some cherries and Keanyda gathers some keylas bud roots and he finds his favorite vegetable.

Keanyda: "Spanda leaves. This place is a gardener's treasure trove."

Dianon(Laughing): "I don't know about gardeners but it is a treasure for hungry gelflings. Let's gather what we found and return to the camp."

As Keanyda crouches down to gather some spanda leaves, he looses his balance and falls in a deep hole hidden by long grass. Dianon hears Keanyda's yelp but when she turns to see him, he is gone.

Dianon: "Keanyda? Keanyda where are you?"

At the bottom of the hole Keanyda has landed hard and lies unconscious on the ground. Just then two colorful fuzzy figures appear out of a tunnel and sees Keanyda. One of them crouches down to examine him and sees he is hurt in the head. The two figures pick up Keanyda and carry him back in to the tunnel. At the top of the hole, Dianon is calling out Keanyda's name.

Dianon: "Keanyda! Are you down there! Are you alright Keanyda! If he is down there then he must be hurt if he can't answer me. I'll go back to the camp and get help. Hang on Keanyda, I'll be back with the others!"

Dianon opens her wings and flies back to the camp. Inside Jan's tent, she and Jen are talking with Aughra about the books they found in the colony.

Aughra: "Yes of course, I know some about the human language. I have books that teach it. Took a good while to learn it did. Helped me to read human words."

Jen: "Well, that's good but do you have any books about the lives of these colonist? You know, diaries?"

Aughra: "That I didn't collect. The books I have are about those machines. What they are called. How they work. How to use them. To me that was important."

Just then, Kira enters the tent.

Kira: "Dianon is back, she says Keanyda is in trouble."

Jen puts the telecrystal away and he and Jan follow Kira to the center of the camp.

Part 3

Keanyda is still being carried, unconscious, by the two fuzzy creatures down the tunnel and are wondering what to do with him when they reach home.

1'st fuzzy: "Gosh Geebra, what do you think this fellow is?"

Geebra: "I don't know Weldean. He dropped from the top world and we know little about that place. My uncle Mantval once went up there to explore and he came back with so many wild tales."

Weldean: "Maybe your uncle can tell us what this person is."

Geebra: "Well, for now this guy needs help. You can see he's badly hurt. He had a long, nasty, fall. We'll take care of him when we get back to the great hall."

The two creatures reach the end of the tunnel and enter a large hall populated with many more furry creatures. Some are swimming in a wide pool. Some are singing and dancing. Some are playing games. Some turn to see Geebra and Weldean carrying Keanyda down a rock carved stairway. Keanyda awaken from his unconsciousness and sees what is going on around him.

Geebra and Weldean carry Keanyda through an alcove and enter a room with three large shelves carved out of the walls. Geebra and Weldean place keanyda in one of the shelves.

Weldean: "Look Geebra he's awake. Hello I'm Weldean and this is Geebra."

Geebra: "Pleased to meet you."

Keanyda remains silent. He finally feels the throbbing pain in his head and groans.

Weldean: "Maybe he doesn't understand us."

Geebra: "Well he still need our help."

Geebra goes to a wall carved with smaller shelves and takes a jar full of blue moss and goes back to Keanyda to put it on his head but Keanyda nudges away.

Geebra: "Oh. Don't worry. This will heal the cut on your head and will sooth your pain. May I please help you?"

Keanyda nods and let's Geebra wrap the moss around his head. Three more fuzzy beings enter the room and greet Geebra and Weldean.

3'rd fuzzy: "Hey Geebra, Hey Weldean. We heard you brought something to Woozlage Cave."

4'th fuzzy: "Yes a lot of woozlages are talking about it."

5"th fuzzy: "Is that it in your bed Geebra?"

Geebra: "Well, yes that's him. He fell down the 2'nd hole that leads up to the top world and he got hurt. Weldean and I found him lying unconscious on the floor so we decided to bring him back here to help him."

5'th fuzzy: "Did you say he's from Top world?"

4'th fuzzy: "That's the place where your uncle Mantval explored."

3'rd fuzzy: "Maybe your uncle can help you in finding out what this guy is."

Geebra: "Now that you mentioned it Scerless, I'm going to ask Mantval to do that but for now this guy needs rest and healing."

Weldean hand Keanyda a cup of pink liquid for him to drink.

Weldean: "Hear you go, drink this it will make you feel better."

Keanyda reluctantly takes the cup and sips it a little and finds that the drink is good.

Part 4

A couple of hours have passed since Keanyda fell into the underground world of the Woozlages; a race of colorful, fuzzy, carefree, beings that live in deep underground caves and tunnels. They rarely visit the place they call Top World and only a few ever venture into it. Keanyda is the first outworlder to discover the Woozlage Community and he is feeling afraid of what the Woozlages will do to him.

Keanyda is being escorted by the woozlages who found him. Geebra; a red, purple woozlage. Weldean; a yellow green woozlage. Scerless; a red, yellow woozlage. Maklae; a gray, purple woozlage. Bamboer; a light green woozlage. They arrive at a wide cave with ten old woozlages in it. Geebra goes up to a gray, long breaded, woozlage to greet him.

Geebra: "Greetings high elder. My friends and I have brought the visitor from Top World for you and the other elders to see."

High Elder: "Greetings Mantval's nephew Geebra. Bring the visitor fourth."

Geebra signals Keanyda to come to the center of the cave and Keanyda reluctantly obeys.

Geebra: "This is him. He was hurt when he fell down to our world so we took care of him until he was better enough to be bought be for you and the elders your ageness. I was hoping that my uncle Mantval is here in session because he explored Top World and maybe he Knows something about our guest."

High Elder: "But of course he's here young woozlage. Your uncle is a elder council member. Come forth Mantval.

Mantval: "Yes, yes, of course."

A white, yellow, muchdaced woozlage goes up to Keanyda.

Mantval: "Well by my fur, this is a gelfling, a highly intelligent race that lives above ground. They're carefree as us woozlages and they have many skills in art and music. They are very athletic and have a strong relationship to nature."

Scerless: "Gosh Mantval, I thought you made up those stories about intelligent life on Top World."

Weldean: "Do you know how to talk with gelflings Mantval?"

Mantval: "Now that you mentioned it Weldean I didn't get a chance to make a direct contact with the gelflings but I did notice that they speak the same language as we do."

Geebra: "Aw come on Uncle Mantval how can a gelfling understand woozlagese?"

Keanyda: "Or maybe that you can speak gelflingese."

The woozlages are shocked and surprised that Keanyda can talk to them.

Two more hours have passed while Keanyda tells his life story and about the Crystal of Truth to the woozlage elders. He told about the adventures of Jen and Kira and how they healed the Dark Crystal and save the world from the skeksis. He told about the Crystal being shattered by the dark urskek and Jen and Kira setting out to recover the fragments. He told how they found the Leece-goak gelfling sanctuary and how he and eight other gelflings joined Jen and Kira to find and Recover the Crystal Fragment. He told about the adventures of the Crystal Shard Fellowship and How he came to the Woozlage Community. The Woozlage elders and the woozlage five listen to Keanyda's stories with keen interest.

High Elder: "I'd say Keanyda, never in our community has such stories of Top World has been told by previous explorers. Not even you Mantval has told us such thing after you returned from exploring."

Mantval: "Well High Elder, an explorer can explore so much that he, or she must leave some of the unknown for future generations."

Scerless: "Well, personally I don't believe a word of it. I mean who ever heard of powerful crystals and flying girl gelflings and three suns. It sounds to me like woppertales. Isn't that so lady storyteller?"

Storyteller: "But of course they are true young woozlage. Many of the previous explorers brought back items from Top World as proof of what they found up there. Look at this for instance."

The storyteller shows a pendant with gelfling runes on the edges.

Storyteller: "Can you tell us what this is Keanyda?"

Keanyda: "That is a badge of a high priest's office. Where did you find it?"

Storyteller: "It was found by Manval's father Gobrees near the hole that leads up to a curved cliff in Top World where three giants now live."

A brown green woozlage runs in to the elders' council cave with an urgent report.

High Elder: "What's the meaning of you running in here like that Pogole ?"

Pogole: "Forgive me your elderness but nine more strangers have been seen in the tunnels near the hole to the garden."

Geebra: "Did these strangers look like our guest?"

Pogole: "Well, they did have pointed ears like him."

Keanyda: "It's my friends; The Fellowship of the Crystal Shard. They must be looking for me. Pogole are they headed this way to the woozlages' great hall?"

Pogole: "No, they're going up the tunnel that leads to the curved cliffs."

Weldean: "Oh, no! If they go that way they could get caught by the giants."

Maklae: "We must stop them before that happens."

Bamboar: "But they must be already there by now. So how can we save them?"

Keanyda: "Listen, I Know my friends are looking for me so if I try to catch up with them they won't have to enter the curved cliff hole."

Scerless: "But Keanyda you don't know your way around the tunnels. How will you tell which is which?"

Geebra: "I'll go with him. I know the tunnels as well as Uncle Mantval."

High Elder: "Very well then. May the spirit of the rock be with you two."

Part 5

Keanyda and Geebra are walking up the tunnel that leads to the curved cliffs. Geebra is telling Keanyda about his Uncle Mantval exploring most of the caves and tunnels around the woolage community and the many things he discovered.

Keanyda: "Did your uncle discover the curved cliffs?"

Geebra: "He sure did. That's where he started to explore Top World. You're the first to come to our world Keanyda. That's very special in woolage history."

Keanyda: "Were the giants there when Mantval found the curved cliffs?"

Geebra: "There was no one there before until a six days ago, the giants came and settled in the cliffs. I went up there to make contact with them but they tried to stop me to death so I ran back underground and told the elders what happened to me. Now no woozlage ever goes up to this tunnel anymore."

Keanyda: "Geebra, you helped me when I was hurt from my fall so I want to help your people with these giants."

Geebra: "But Keanyda, what can you do with them?"

Keanyda: "My friends and I have some experience with giants."

The two reach the end of the tunnel go outside to the curved cliffs and see Kira, Jan, Dianon, Evwwen, Kindalr, and Roosack hiding behind some boulders. Kira turns and sees Keanyda and Geebra and tells the others whose behind them and the six gelflings run up to greet Keanyda.

Dianon: "Keanyda! Thank the three suns you're alright."

Roosack: "We thought for sure you perished out here."

Jan: "What happened to you? We looked allover but couldn't find you."

Kira: "Who is that with you Keanyda?"

They all turn to see Geebra and Keanyda tries to explain everything that has happened to him.

After a while, Keanyda as told them all about how he met and made friends with the woozlages.

Kindalr: "Well Keanyda, looks like you had quite an adventure."

Evwwen: "Better than ours. We went down the hole you fell in to look for you Keanyda but you weren't at the bottom. Jen's shard began to glow and hum so that meant the eighth fragment was nearby and we followed it up the tunnel hopping that both you and the fragment were here."

Dianon: "We found the fragment but it is being guarded by three burlaans. Kira and Jen tried to talk with them but the burlaans chased them and captured Jen. We tried to rescue him but these burlaans are far more meaner than the ones in Dewaol Canyon."

Jan: "They now have Legoanis and Kayda as additional prisoners. They have the eighth fragment wrapped in a net next to the cage the burlaans are keeping Jen, Kayda, and Legoanis."

Kindalr: "These three burlaans must be more influenced by the dark urskek. They must have been sent here to guard the eighth fragment and make a vine net to carry it in."

Keanyda: "I have an idea that will free our fiends and the eighth fragment. First, we'll need some vines. Captain Dianon, we'll need yours, Kira's, Jan's, and Evwwen's flying skills. Now here's what we will do."

The seven gelflings and Geebra huddle to hear Keanyda's rescue plan.

Half an hour has passed and Keanyda's plan is already put to action. The four female gelflings are buzzing around the burlaans like annoying flies to distract them. Keanyda and Geebra are tieing the vines between the burlaan's legs in order to trip them. Kindalr and Roosack run to the cage to free Jen, Kayda, and Legaonis and recover the Eighth Fragment.

Jen: "Thank goodness you come. Did you finaly find Keanyda?"

Roosack: "More or less. He actually found us. Stand back while I cut the cords holding the bars together. They could be springy."

As Roosack and Kindalr work on the bars the burlaans start to fall on one another. After the dust has cleared it seems that the gelflings are the victors but neither Keanyda or Geebra are nowhere to be found.

Kira: "Hey! Keanyda!"

Jan: "Keanyda! Where are you!"

Dianon: "Keeeaaaannnnyyyyydaaaaa!"

Evwwen: "Keanyda! Oh, no!"

One of the burlaans gets up holding Keanyda and Geebra. The second burlaan gets up and makes some threatning grunts at the girl gelflings. The third gets up and sees their early prisoners have escaped. Before he could tell the others a bright flash of light appears in front of the burlaans and UrAmaj the Cook and SkekAyuk the Gourmand appear from it. The burlaans see the skeksis and huddle together in fear. UrAmaj and SkekAyuk merge to form AyukAmaj the urskek. AyukAmaj see Keanyda and Geebra being held by the burlaans.

AyukAmaj: "What you are doing is no different than what the dark one has done to you. Let go of them just as I will free you of the dark urskek."

The Burlaan let's go of Keanyda and Geebra and the nine gelflings run up to join them.

Part 6

Jen has recovered the Eighth Fragment of the Crystal, AyukAmaj has freed the three Burlaans from the mind control, Keanyda has rejoined his friends and they get to meet Geebra the woozlage.

AyukAmaj: "Yes Keanyda, me and Aughra have known about the woozlages for sometime. One of them visited the Valley of the UrRu and met me and UrSu. We showed him some of the world of the Dark Crystal and told him about how we became the UrRu and the Skeksis and how we damaged the Crystal. He then visited the gelflings and the podlings and sampled some of their music, art, and cultures. He then visited Aughra on her high hill to learn her secrets. after all that he returned home to tell his people his adventures on he world he called Top World."

Geebra: "Was his name Gobrees?"

AyukAmaj: "Why yes Geebra. Do you know him?"

Geebra: "I sure do, he was my uncle's father. My Uncle Mantval was his father's apprentice and learned everything Gobrees knew about exploring. My family were always explorers and once every generation and explorer would go up to Top World to update on the changes."

Kayda: "Your people sounds very interesting Geebra. I'm a student of exploration myself at the Leecegaok Academy and I would like to see the woozlages."

Dianon: "If only we had the time for such a leisure but the last Crystal Fragment awaits us."

Kira: "But we're still not fully refreshed and we still need to replenish our food supplies."

Kindalr: "I agree with my granddaughter. Geebra may we stay for a little while with your people until we are ready to continue our journey?"

Geebra: "Yes you may. The woozlages will be pleased to have visitors from your world."

AyukAmaj: "I would like to come to and visit the World of the Woozlages."

They all enter the tunnel, leading to Woolage Cave.

Chapter 11

Part 1

With only one Fragment of the Crystal of Truth left to collect Jen and Kira feel their mission coming to an end. The Fellowship of the Crystal Shard are journeying to a place called the Valley of Ice. Jen is talking with Aughra about what she knows about the valley. 

Aughra: "The icy peak of the mountain collapsed from an earthquake and buried the land in the valley. For some reason the ice doesn't melt but steams. Very cold place it is. Cold enough to make your skin jump off. Hope you carrying warm coats. Gelfling bodies aren't equipped to handle freezing."

Jen: "Jen don't worry Aughra. We have some extra cloaks we used to protect us from the coldness of Cryst."

Kira: "Aughra is there any news from our home?"

Aughra: "Yrda says that your babies are doing well but they seem to miss you and Jen. Many gelflings have come. They say they're from Leesgaok and Keece-yek. They made several camps around the castle. I went out to see them and many gelfling come up to me. Asked me if I was Aughra, keeper of secrets. Asked me about you and Jen and the Crystal. Fortunately gelfling elders come to help me with the younger gelflings and we went back in to the castle to talk."

Jen: "What news of the dark urskek? Has it been seen anywhere on Thra?"

Aughra: "The urskeks say their renegade brother has mainly been looking for the Fragments of the Crystal like you have been. He found only a few but they were already picked up by a competitor, you."

Jen: "Well of course. I have the Crystal Shard to help me find and collect the fragments. What does he have to help him."

Aughra: "I only know this Jen, you are winning the race and win you must for if the dark one finds and gets the last fragment, again will evil rule our world. I must go now. Leesgaok elders and mutant councilors want to talk about colonizing the Crystal's land. "

Aughra's image fades from the telecrystal.

Kira: "Well Jen, I'll be glad to get home and see our children when this is over."

Jen: "I feel the same as well but I don't think our lives will be the same Kira."

Kira: "The same thought has crossed my mind to. You think there is a chance our people will make us their rulers?"

Jen: "If they do they might make the castle our home and place of office."

Kira feels a little troubled about the thought of being a queen. Fizzgig, ridding in her hood, nudges at Kira and licks her cheek. Kira brushes her hand on Fizzgig's fur. Dianon steers her leevro next to Kira and Jens' and points to a mountain.

Dianon: "There is a valley behind that mountain full of ice and snow could that where the last fragment be?"

Jen takes the Shard and it starts to glow bright white.

Jen: "This is the place Let's get that last fragment and return to the castle."

The gelflings steer their leevros to the mountain.

Part 2

The Crystal Shard Fellowship has arrived at the Valley of Ice. They are wearing extra cloaks to protect themselves from the cold. The gelflings find that it is more colder than Cryst.

Kira: "I never seen ice before. They look just like crystals."

Kindalr" These cold crystals my grandchild are really solid water."

Jen: "You mean we're walking through a crystallized lake?"

Kindalr: "In a matter of speaking. When water gets so cold it freezes into a crystal called ice and when it gets warm it turns back into water. When water gets hot enough it turns into a gas called steam and when the steam becomes cool it returns back into water, in the form of rain."

Jen: "This sounds like Aughra's teaching. She told me about how water turns into gas but not how it turns into gems."

Kayda is heard screaming and the gelflings run up to him to find out what's wrong. They see the palm of his hand is badly burned.

Keanyda: "What happened to you Kayda?"

Kira: "How did your hand get like that cousin?"

Kayda: "I was touching the ice and it burned me like fire. I never seen anything like it."

Kindalr: "I think I know what it is. There are other elements that can freeze solid like water. One of them is a gas called carbon. Just as we breath oxygen plants breath carbon and just like water it can freeze solid but only at extreme temperatures and carbon ice is so cold that it burns."

Legaonis: "You mean this carbon ice will freeze you to death?"

Kindalr: "If you hold on to it long enough and carbon ice does melt but only back into gas. That's why some of these chunks of ice seem to be evaporating."

Jan: "That's what I call food for thought. Will our clothes protect us from the carbon ice?"

Kindalr: "Oh yes, from the coldness itself. Just don't touch the ice."

The gelflings continue their journey through the valley, taking great care with the ice. When they reach their destination they find that the ninth crystal fragment is not there.

Dianon: "Jen are you sure your shard is right?"

Jen: "I don't get it. The Shard did show me this is the place."

Jan: "Maybe the fragment is hidden in the ice."

Jen: "No look, there is the imprint of where the Ninth Fragment was. Where is it now?"

Roosack: "I got a bad feeling about this."

A bright light flashes where the ninth fragment was and UrUtt the Weaver and SkekEkt the Ornamentalist appear from it. They are both wounded as if they have been in a vicious fight. The urRu and the SkekSis merge to form EktUtt the Urskek. EktUtt drops to his knees for he is badly hurt. Jen, Kira, Jan, and Kindalr run up to help him.

EktUtt: "Dear gelflings, I'm afraid you came to late to claim the last fragment of the Crystal. Ohhh! Aahhh!"

Jen: "What happened to you? How badly are you hurt?"

Kira: "Was it the dark urskek? Did he attack you?"

Kindalr: "Where is the last fragment? Did that renegade of yours take it?"

Ektutt: "Yes gelflings. Yes to all your questions. It was the dark one who did this to me and stolen the last fragment. I was looking down this mountain, watching over the fragment and waiting for you when I saw the dark urskek in the Ice Valley wrapping up the fragment with vines. I went down to stop him and we fought each other with the full might of our powers but I was not strong enough to overpower the dark one and he blasted me, several times, with a light of darkness. I was beaten and the Dark One left with his prize. Urrrgghh!"

Roosack: "When did this happen?"

EktUtt: "Three days ago when you were still after the Eighth Fragment. After my defeat I tried to return and tell my fellow urskeks what happened to me but I was too weak so I remained here to recover my strength. Ohhh. I should have told them before. UngIm would have taken on the dark one better than I. Moan."

Dianon: "Is there anything we can do for you?"

EktUtt: "There is no need. I called to the other urskeks and UngIm and NaNol are coming to help me. As for you Gelflings of the Crystal Shard you must return to the Castle for that is where the dark one will be returning. He has finaly got a fragment of the Crystal of Truth but you have gained the most. Protect the Shard gelflings for the dark urskek will want that to complete his power over all of Thra. Go now. Hurry!"

The gelflings run back to where they left there leevros.

Part 3

The Crystal Shard Fellowship are flying back to the Castle. Most of them are worried if they will make it in time to warn the gelflings at the Castle or save their world. Jen, on the other hand, is very confident that they will succeed. Fizzgig is enjoying the ride a lot better and Kira is letting him sit up front. Jan steers closer to her brother to talk to him.

Jan: "Jen How are we going to stop the dark one if he has a fragment of the Crystal? Won't that make him more powerful than all the urskeks put together?"

Jen: "Not at all. He needs all of the fragments to obtain the Crystal's power and that's why he'll want the Shard to complete it."

Kira: "Jen how will we protect the Shard from the evil urskek? He could turn us into something unnatural to get it."

Jen: "Maybe Aughra could help us with that. She knows all about the urskeks and maybe she knows their weaknesses."

Suddenly a loud screech is heard all over the sky. Dianon looks for what made the sound and sees some seakzats coming strait for them.

Dianon: "A flock of seakzat on our starboard, coming for us! Break formation and take them one on one!"

The ten gelflings do as Dianon says and go in a dogfight with the seckzats. The training the got from the three sky guardians pay off well.

Keanyda and Legoanis shoot two down with their crossbows. Roosack, Kira, Jen, and Kayda, lance four with the long beaks of their leevros. Kindalr and Jan out maneuvers two seakzats and trick them in to crashing into each other. A seakzat gets too close for Dianon to fend off and crushes her leevros head. Dianon shoots crossbow bolts into the seakzat's mouth and it fall's lifelessly away. Evvwen sees Dianon's peril and dives to rescue her. Dianon opens her wings abandons her dead leevro and lands on Evvwen's. Dianon hugs Evvwen with gratitude.

Dianon: "Ha, ha, well done Evvwen! You'll be a sky guardian yet!"

Evvwen: "But Dianon, I wasn't brave at all. I just saw you being attacked by that bird beast and I had to do something to save you."

Dianon: "It's alright Evvwen. The first solo flight is scary for all fledgling flyers. You will get use to it with more practice."

The other 8 gelfling close in on Dianon and Evvwen to see if she is O.K.

Roosack: "Captain, that was a very close call for you. Are you injured?"

Dianon: "I'm O.K. Evwwen's improved flying skills saved me.

Kira: "Jen, that was no ordinary seakzat attack. They only travel and hunt in twos and never in packs."

Kayda: "Kira is right and it's not like the seakzats to hunt a leevro flock no more than four, now we have seven."

Jan: "Could it be the dark urskek's work?"

Jen's telecrystal hums and he picks it up and sees Aughra's image.

Aughra: "Jen, a terrible thing has happened! The urskek Orac has told me that the dark one has finaly captured the Ninth Fragment and is returning to the Castle. All shall be lost if power complete is his!"

Jen: "Yes Aughra, we know. Listen, do you know what can hurt or kill an urskek? UrSu and the Emperor died of old age and UrTih and SkekTek were killed by fire. Do the urskeks have weaknesses?"

Aughra: "Only weaknesses I know is they loose much of their powers when split by the Crystal and only an urskek can hurt an urskek. That's why urskeks return to Thra. Only they have the power to stop their renegade brother. You try to stop him Jen he'll do you more worse than he did to Ektutt."

Kira: "Aughra the gelflings, nearby the Castle, could get in harms way if the renegade comes. They must be taken to the safety of the forest and the swamps nearby your observatory dome.

Aughra: "Many gelfling have done that. Some have camped in the Old Ones' houses to explore it. Some are in your podling village visiting your foster clan. Some are here in my dome helping me complete it and a few of them have developed a habit of fooling with my potions and devices!"

Aughra turns to see a young gelfling about to take a flask filled with a purple liquid. She runs up to him and slams her hand on the table between them.

Aughra: "Don't touch!"

The image fades as the gelfling backs away from Aughra.

Dianon: "There is a range of mountains ahead circling a lush valley. Is that where the Castle is?"

Jen: "Yes it is. We're almost home."

As the ten gelflings speed their leevros to their goal a dark figure is hiding in the clouds and watching the Crystal Shard Fellowship. He is carrying a black jade crystal in a net made out of vines.

Part 4

Jen, Kira, and Fizzgig are happy to be back in the land of the Crystal. The ten gelflings land their leevros near the castle's gate. Kindalr and Roosack look at the castle and remember how dark it used to be. Aughra, followed by Kirre, Jyan, Harkuun, and Leavoar, approach the Fellowship and welcomes them.

Aughra: "Welcome home you two. Missed you both I did."

Kirre: "Kira, Kayda, Grandfather, I'm so glad to see you."

Jyan: "Jen, Jan, my dearest ones. May we never be parted again."

Leavoar: "Ha, ha Roosack my old friend! Our kin have spent may days missing you."

Harkuun: "Look at the land Roosack. It's just as the tales say as it was before the Crystal was wounded."

Roosack: "It is good to see the Crystal's lands my friends but time is not for us to waste now. The dark one who the urskeks want to stop has the last Crystal Fragment and is on his way here."

Jen: "Has there been any sign of him lately?"

Aughra: "None at all Jen. Leesgaok Sky Guardians been flying in the skies keeping watch for the renegade and nothing to find. If the dark urskek is here hiding, must be, he is."

Just then, a loud squawking is heard. Dianon looks up to see a sky guardian being bucked off of a crazed leevro.

Dianon: "Look out!"

Dianon opens her wings and flies off to save the falling guardian. Kira sees what Dianon is doing and flies of to help her. The guardian lands in both Dianon and Kira's arms and they lower him back to the ground. The other gelflings rush to see what happened.

Dianon: "Are you alright corporal?"

Corporal: "Yes thank you fellow guardian of the skies... wait, it's you. Captain Dianon, you returned!"

Dianon: "Never mind that, why did your leevro threw you off?"

Corporal: "I don't know I was circling the castle watching for the dark one when for no reason my leevro went berserk and tried to knock me off."

Keanyda: "Look, the other sky guards are having the same trouble with their leevros! We got to help them!"

Kira: "I'll do it!"

Kira opens her wings and flies off to help the sky guardians and Dianon, Jan, and Evwwen take off after her.

Kira cries out to the crazed leevros to calm them down.

Kira: "Kamalayaaaaaaaaaaaa! Kamalaya! Trrrrrrrriiiiilllllooooooo! Trrrrriiiiilllloooo! Scrrrreeeeeck! Dozba! Suvano! Trrrrriiiiillllooooo! Kamalayaaaaaaaaaa!"

The leevros hear Kira's Chant of Freedom and behave. They circle Kira with their riders still hanging on. The three gelfling girls catch up with Kira to find out what happened to the leevros.

Jan: "That was amazing Kira! You are a true master of the language of beasts."

Evwwen: "I hope you could teach me how to speak to animals some more."

Dianon: "That can wait for later. Kira since you know the leevro's language surely, they can tell you what went wrong with them."

Kira asks the leevros why they went mad and tried to kill their riders. The leevros tell Kira and she finds her fears are true.

Kira: "They say it was like something was stripping there wills away and controlling their minds. They couldn't think for themselves and they were under the power of evil."

Dianon: "So the renegade urskek beat us to the castle and is hiding somewhere inside. We must use extreme caution if we are to defeat him."

Meanwhile, the Sky guardians are circling the four girls, praising Dianon for saving them. Dianon corrects them that it was Kira who called out to their leevros and calmed them. The guardians turn their praises to Kira and she looks to Dianon, embarrassed. Dianon sheepishly smiles and shrugs her shoulders.

Part 5

Kirre, Jayan, Harkuun, and Leavoar are evacuating the gelflings encamped around the castle to the forests nearby the Crystal's land. Jen, Kira, Aughra, Kindalr, Dianon, and Roosack have entered the castle and heading for the Crystal Chamber, taking great care in case the dark urskek is watching them. The crystalline walls of the hallways seem to glow somewhat dimmer. Fizzgig is riding in Kira's hood as he sniffs the air and make a grunt of disaprovement.

Kira: "Not so loud Fizzgig, but I understand what you're feeling."

Jen: "Could this be the evil urskek's doing? The walls are loosing their glow."

Aughra: "No Jen, the urskek made this castle out of lesser crystals and they catched the light of the Crystal reflecting it to each other and the crystal walls began to glow themselves When the Crystal shattered into fragments the crystals still glowed with the light that was stored in them. Now there light is running out and only restoring the Crystal itself will bring back their shine."

Roosack: "So without the Crystal of Truth the castle will soon loose it's light as well?"

Aughra: "Well, the castle shines with the light of the Crystal and the Crystal shines with the light of the three suns. Don't you see gelflings? The world shines with the power of the Crystal of Truth. The dark urskek knew that. With the Crystal out of the way easy it will be for him to take over and rule Thra. This I speculated."

Aughra and the gelflings enter the chamber of the Crystal and see it is as it was before. Suddenly a black flash of light appears on the other side and the dark urskek emerges from it. Everyone is standing with bewilderment as they see that this urskek is truly shining with blackness. The Urskek looks at Jen and points at him.

Dark Urskek: "Well, well, so you are the disciple of late SoSu who set out to heal the Dark Crystal and reinfuse the skeksis and UrRu. You many have completed in that adventure but you will fail in this one. I have the last fragment of the Crystal and without it you can't restore the Crystal of Truth back together.

Kira: "What do you want of our world? Why have you come to conquer it? What is the method of your evil?"

Dark Urskek: "Why not but just for the sport of it? There are many pleasures in the universe. Many delights to take advantage of. I have entertained myself in causing much disorder on many worlds. I do what I please with them. Now I am here to take great pleasure of spoiling Thra."

Kindalr: "Those are no answers. There is no logic to your choice of evils. What is the method?"

Dark Urskek: "Where is the logic in just choosing good only? I've made my choice to be evil because it's different. I was exiled form the Urskek communities because good and evil can coexist with each other. With my choice I became stronger and more powerful. I went from world to world enjoy the amusements they had to offer."

Dianon: "You answers still mean nothing. Who are you?"

Dark Urskek: "My name is HunZou and you and your friends will be absorbed by my light for I want the Shard!"

Roosack: "You won't take it without a fight!"

Roosack draws four swords from his belt and charges at HunZou but HunZou shoots a beam of blackness from his fingertip and severs Roosack's lower left arm. Roosack screams in pain as he kneels to the floor holding the bleeding stump with both right hands. Dianon draws her crossbow and shoots several darts at HunZou but he waves a cloak of darkness around himself and the darts disappear in it. HunZou raises his hand and the darts fly back at Dianon and four of them hit her in the left leg. She falls to the floor grimacing with pain. HuZou turns to Jen and approaches him.

HunZou: "Give me the Shard gelfling!"

Jen: "Just try and take it!"

As HunZou reaches out to grab him Jen draws out the Shard, holds it like a dagger and stabs HunZou in the arm. HunZou retreats in pain and sees fizzgig dragging off the netted crystal fragment. HunZou shoots a black beam at fizzgig but Jen intercepts it and deflects the beam with the Shard and the beam hits a wall leaving a black spot. Before Jen could get to the last fragment HunZou cuts in between them. Kira races to Fizzgig's side to protect him and HunZou raises his hand to strike her but Fizzgig rolls to him and bites his leg. HunZou kicks off Fizzgig and he lands on the floor, badly hurt and sick from the bite he took from HunZou. Jen sees that HunZou is about to attack Kira again and he races to her aid.

Jen: "Kira! Take the Shard!"

Jen throws the Shard so high up in the air that it's beyond HunZou's reach and Kira flies up, catches it, and lands next to the fragment. In his rage HunZou shoots a black beam at Jen and it hits him square in the chest. Jen falls to the floor and with his last breath he calls out to Kira.

Jen: "Re-store... the ... Crystal."

As Jen dies Kira is wide eyed with grief., She looks angrily at HunZou then she stabs the fragment with the shard and it disappears like the last seven. Then a flash of light appears and all the eight urskeks enter the crystal chamber and confront HunZou.

Ungim: "HunZou of Lossrymdye, we arrest you for the crimes you committed on several worlds. You will come with us back home to be tried for you sins."

HunZou: "Don't make me laugh Ungim! You and what's left of you original eighteen are outcast as well. The high urskeks of our society will never except your proposals."

Silsol: "HunZou, have you not heard that we are now welcomed back with the open hearts of our people? My friends and I have finally made our choice to follow good. They saw this in our dreams and memories."

ZokZah: "All urskeks know of how you choice for evil has corrupted you and made you do terrible deeds all over the heavens. For this we were sent to stop you and bring you back for trial."

HunZou: "None of you are strong enough to beat me! Look at what I done to EktUtt when he fought me for the last fragment."

Ektutt: "Yes you can defeat one urskek but not all nine!"

The nine urskeks raises their hands and shoots beams of white light at HunZou and he creates a shield of dark light to protect himself but the white light beams overtake the dark light shield and strikes HunZou. HunZou falls to the floor, dazed and weak. UngIm, SilSol, and, ZokZah wrap HunZou in white light beams and lift him up for Shodyod and NaNol to look after him. UngIm turns to Kira who is cradling Jen's lifeless body and sobbing with grief. Dianon, Aughra, and Kindalr are trying to comfort her as they see Ungim approach.

Dianon: "Lord urskek will you please save Jen for Kira, just as you saved Kira for Jen?"

UngIm: "That power is only reserved for the one who created life itself and only the Crystal of Truth can restore Jen as it restored Kira."

Aughra: "Humph! Your riddle is more confusing than mine. I saw you put new life into Kira. You don't put new life into Jen?"

UngIm: "No, I did not give Kira new life. I used the Crystal to restore her body to put her life back. To give new life I have to be a god which I am not."

Dianon: "But where is the Crystal of Truth? When Jen collected all the fragments we found they just shrank and vanished."

Ungim: "Take the Shard and place it over the shaft and you will see."

Kira lifts up her head and brushes the tears away from her face. She takes the Crystal Shard and goes to the center of the crystal camber where the shaft of fire is. Kira holds the Shard over it and the Shard begins to grow. Kira lets go of the Shard as it grows bigger and bigger until it becomes the Crystal of Truth itself. Jen finaly awakens and sees the Crystal restored by Kira. Roosack's wound heals and his extra limbs shrink away. Fizzgig becomes better and happily rolls to Kira's side. The five gelflings rejoice as the Crystal shines bright as before. UngIm turns to Kira and Jen to talk to them.

UngIm: "You and your companions have done well in restoring the shards of the Crystal together and bringing your race back home. You defeated the evil might, you made wrong into right, and again restored the Crystal's true light. As for my friends and I, we must now return home to deliver our captive to justice. May the light of the Crystal bless your world."

The nine urskeks leave Thra as they did before with HunZou in tow. As Aughra and the five gelflings watch the urskeks leave HunZou gives them an evil, vengeful look.

Part 6 : Epilogue

Three months have passed since Kira restored the Crystal of Truth. The Houses of the Old Ones is being restored by the Geflyee tribe. The Geflan tribe has colonized in a valley on the other side of Aughra's hill. The Geflaer tribe has moved and colonized in the lands bordering Kira's swamp. The Gefliay and the Geflese tribes has colonized the mountain range near the Crystal's lands. The mutant gelflings have normal bodies now and colonized near the castle. The elders, chiefs, and governors have taken office in the Crystal's castle and is guarded by the united defenders of all the gelfling tribes.

Jen and Kira are back home in there pod house. Baby Dee has learned how to walk a little and sometimes chases Fizzgig for fun. Baby Biran is now crawling with little trouble. Once in a while, the former members of the Crystal Shard Fellowship come to visit Jen and Kira and talk about the adventures they had when looking for the Crystal's fragments. Dianon is now a general and in charge of the United Gelfling Defense Guard. Legoanis is the new captain of the Sky Guard. Keanyda is captain of the newly formed Landstrider Calvary Guard. Jan is now an instructor in the new gelfling school of academics. Kindalr is a newly elected member of the Crystal Castle Elders. Roosack and Kayda are Aughra's new assistants in her newly completed Dome.

Jen still visits Aughra to learn from her and visits the newly rebuilt capitol of Geflyee to read in the library and borrow it's books. He is reading a biography about a gelfling scholar who discovered electricity in lightning. The librarian approaches Jen and gets his attention.

Librarian: "Pardon me Lord Jen but the two books you requested have been found but they are in poor condition. They have to be recopied but it will take some time. As you may know that many of the library's books and scrolls are damaged and worn with age."

Jen: "Yes I understand. I visited the library before."

Librarian: "Thank you Lord. Oh Yes, there is a Geflaning here who wants to see you. He goes by the name of Jyan."

Jen: "Thank you."

Jen leaves the desk he was reading on and goes to the entrance where Jyan is waiting for him. Jen and Jyan welcome each other with firm, warm handshakes.

Jen: "Hello Uncle how is everything at the castle?"

Jyan: "Very well Jen, our colonies are thriving without any trouble. The pod people sometime come to trade and help us with the building projects. When our people returned here the podlings welcomed us as long lost kinfolk."

Jen: "We are their long lost kinfolk. We are a part of them as they are a part of us. Just as all living thing are a part of each other. I learned that lesson from both the urru and Aughra."

Jyan: "Speaking of Aughra, the Crystal Castle Elders wants to invite her as the chief advisor and mentor of the Crystal. The Elders and Governors fear that they might make a terrible mistake when using the Crystal of Truth so they sent me to her observatory to give her this request but she refused. She told me that her time will soon be at hand to return to her beginning and she can't delay. Do you know what she's talking about?"

Jen's face develops a somber look and he lowers his head. A small tear runs down his cheek from his eye and Jyan becomes concerned.

Jyan: "Jen, what is it?"

Jen takes Jyan's hand to dreamfast to him what he knows about what's happening to Aughra. When the dreamfastening end Jyan feels symphony for his nephew.

Jyan: "Jen, I'm sorry. Is there anything I ..."

More tears stream down Jen's face and Jyan pulls Jen to his shoulder to weep on. Jyan wonders on how he is to break this sad news to his colleges back in the Crystal's castle. He also wonders how Aughra's former student, Kindalr, will take to it as well.

Two hours have passed as Jen and Jyan return home. As they pass Aughra's hill they hear her voice calling out to them. They steer their landstriders to the cutout path and ride up to Aughra's new dome. Aughra comes out to meet them and sees they are depressed.

Aughra: "Welcome back gelflings. Returning to castle yes? I hope I could invite you two to come with me to where I came."

Jen: "Aughra please, I'm to upset about you dying! Can't you see it's hurting me?"

Jyan: "Jen has shown me what is wrong with you Aughra. I'm sorry. I now understand why you can't be our advisor for the Crystal of Truth."

Aughra: "Humph still think I'm dying do you Jen? Explained to you how I will return to rock and tree still I didn't. Don't worry young gelfling. My former student knows about this. Tell you he will if you come with us."

As Jen is about to ask Aughra a question Kindalr steps out of the dome's entrance followed by Kayda and Roosack.

Kindalr: "It will be a long journey but it's not far from the other side of the UrRu's valley. I'm sure you know the way there."

Jen hesitates a little then answers.

Jen: "Yes, I do know the way from here to the valley."

Aughra and the five gelflings walk down the hill to the valley and they meet Dianon, Kira, Jan, and Keanyda with eight more landstriders. Kira and Jan are concerned for Jen's well being.

Kira: "Are you alright Jen?"

Jen: "No, not for a while."

Jan: "How do you feel brother?"

Jen: "I'll be fine but right now I just want to get this over with. When do we begin Aughra?"

Aughra: "Right now."

Aughra and the gelflings mount up on the landstriders and head off for the valley of the UrRu. A day has passed and Aughra and the gelflings have arrived at the UrRu Valley. Jen shows the seven gelflings around while Aughra and Kindalr look on.

Kindalr: "You know Aughra, we still need someone to help us use the Crystal, wisely, even if you are leaving us. I still know only half of what you taught me and my grandson-in-law only knows half of what I know."

Aughra: "Humph. Why do you think I wrote that book I now finished? I wrote many books to preserve my records and journals of what secrets I know about the Crystal of Truth. Lucky I kept them in a library underneath my old dome when garthim came for Jen and burned my home down."

Kindalr: "Yes I do remember helping you tunneling out a chamber to make more room for storage. Aughra, I told Jen about what you're going to do when we get to you place of origin but he still doesn't understand. He still think you're dying."

Aughra: "Then hell just have to see for himself what I will do. That should convince him. After I return to rock and root it will be up to you to help him, to teach him. He will learn from you as you learned from me as I learned from the urskeks of the Crystal of truth. Use the knowledge I recorded in the books. They will help you to continue in your learning as well as Jen's."

Jen and the other gelflings return from their tour of the UrRu valley, ready to go on the journey.

Two hours pass as the travelers enter a forest of beautiful spiraling trees. As the enter the center of the forest they find a tall spiraling tree resting on a huge rock that is broken in half. Aughra and the gelflings dismount their landstriders and approach the rock.

Aughra: "This is the place from which I came. This is the womb from which I was born from. I was for the trees and rocks to see, hear, and speak. Blind and deaf they are for I was a guide to them. Now I must return to the trees and rocks For again I will be a part of them as they will be a part of me as well all are a part of each other. The knots of the trees will be their eyes and the leaves will be their ears for we will both be one. The trees, the rocks, and I, the three made one for my task is done. We may meet again another time but not again in this one."

When Aughra sits between the rock's two halves Jen watches with amazement as the rock closes around her. It looks as if Aughra and the rock are merging like to pieces of dough being formed into one lump. Jen still has trouble understanding this but he now realizes that his friend and mentor isn't dying at all but just becoming back as one with her parents: the rock and the tree.

Another day passes after Jen and Kira return home to their pod house. Kirre, Legoanis, Leavoar, and Evwwen are waiting for them at the doorway. Jen and Kira go up and welcomes the guest inside for dinner. As Kira enters the kitchen to prepare the food, Jen talks to the dinner guest about Aughra.

The End. 


End file.
